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The NewsHour to Pick Up the Pace

By James Poniewozik | @poniewozik | November 30, 2009 | +

In other respectable-news news, PBS’ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer–in a move originally planned for September–next month will rename itself The PBS NewsHour, taking the anchor’s name out of the title for the first time and pairing him with a rotation of co-anchors. In the process, the newscast plans a few changes to increase its metabolism, integrating its online operation more closely, covering late-breaking news quicker (online if necessary) and shaving time off some news segments.

If the NewsHour can make itself more timely, good for them. I hope, though, that the newscast doesn’t move too far away from doing longer new segments and become more like, well, every other network newscast. Ironically, though the NewsHour may be the most old-fashioned of the broadcast news shows, I also find it the most TiVo-friendly of the newscasts. It’s the one network news show I record daily, not because I watch it daily, but because on those days I’m especially interested in a particular story, I can fast-forward to that segment and watch that one longer piece. Headlines, I can get anywhere.

Of course, this works for a public-TV newscast; I doubt an ad-supported news show would to encourage selective TiVoing like this. Is there anything you’d change about the NewsHour (other than bringing Robert MacNeil back)?

Related Topics: jim lehrer, pbs newshour, News Media

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  • nycgeoff

    We TiVo the NewsHour for pretty much the same reason – we’ll watch the 20-second lead in and decide whether any of it sounds interesting.

    Their strongest segments are regarding the Supreme Court with Marcia Coyle. Few people on TV can sound authoritative without talking down to the audience (or dumbing down themselves), but she can.

    I think the regular correspondents are very strong (Judy Woodruff, Ray Suarez, Jeffrey Brown, Gwen Ifill, Margaret Warner) but after that there’s a lack of depth. Their Economics correspondent is a particularly unwatchable ham.

    Their roundtable segments are really hit-or-miss. They do a great job of avoiding the cable news screamfests, but don’t do very well at moving spokespeople off of talking points.

    They do well with their international news (cribbed from ITN?) and their arts stories.

    Overall, I hope they don’t change much. I find them a trusted serious source (contrast with the Assignment America abominations on the CBS Evening News)

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