Judy Woodruff to Step Aside from PBS NewsHour Anchor Desk.

[elleng]

Last edited Fri Nov 11, 2022, 04:23 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: PBS NewsHour

Will Launch Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads
Reporting Series through 2024.

Anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff today announces her intent to step aside from the PBS NewsHour anchor desk on Friday, December 30, 2022 and to begin work on a two year project to understand better how the American people see their country and whether today's deep political divisions can be healed. Woodruff will devote 2023 and 2024 to this national reporting project, Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads.

The effort will explore how America arrived at this fractured political state and what solutions people envision, through travel and conversations with voters and local and national politicians, as well as discussions with writers, historians, religious and community leaders, and policy experts. As a senior correspondent, she will report regularly for this series on the NewsHour with possible primetime specials for PBS.

About her decision, Judy Woodruff said, "I have loved anchoring this extraordinary program, initially with my dear friend Gwen Ifill. To follow in the footsteps of Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil has been the honor of a lifetime. Now, I am thrilled to be embarking on this new project to try to understand the most divided time in American politics since I started reporting. I want to listen to the American people themselves, in cities, small towns and rural areas, from one end of the country to the other, to ask them about their hopes and fears, how they see their role as citizens, and to have long conversations with people who've given these questions careful thought."

At 75, "the last grown-up in Washington journalism" prepares to sign off after nearly a decade as an anchor of "PBS NewsHour." https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/style/judy-woodruff-pbs-newshour.html?

Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/press-releases/judy-woodruff-to-step-aside-from-pbs-newshour-anchor-desk?

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'PBS NewsHour's average nightly audience in Q3 2022 (July - September 2022) totaled nearly 2 million persons. NewsHour's average monthly digital audience for the same period topped 25M persons, while video views totaled 45.9M and social reach surpassed 13M. The 2021 Erdos & Morgan Opinion Leaders survey ranked NewsHour as the #1 most Objective, Credible, and Current media organization, while for the 19th year in a row, Americans rank PBS the most-trusted institution.

PBS NewsHour is the primary daily, breaking and special news producer for PBS. It produces PBS NewsHour, PBS News Weekend, and Washington Week; primetime and daytime breaking news and political specials; documentaries; and maintains a robust footprint across digital and social platforms.'


She plans to stay on at the public television network in the role of senior correspondent at least through the 2024 elections, and she will also host a new segment for PBS NewsHour, “Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads.”

[walkingman]

1. I hate to see her leave but PBS has many capable people ready to fill her role.

I'm sure the "NewsHour" will maintain it quality journalism for many, many years to come!!

Great lady and a great news program!!

[elleng]

2. Sounds like she'll be around, but I too will miss her regular, steady hand.

I assume they'll do the right thing in appointing a successor.

'Woodruff’s successor at the NewsHour anchor desk will be named in late 2022.'

[Grins]

19. She's not leaving.

Only not going to host News Hour.

At age 75 she is going to work 2 years, until she is 77, on a documentary.

She needs to retire to make room for new blood.

[agingdem]

3. unlike the Clinton/Obama hating Andrea Mitchell,

Woodruff knows when to step aside..

[Zorro]

5. Andrea Mitchell turned 76 just two weeks ago

[wishstar]

8. Woodruff and Mitchell are best friends so hope Mitchell takes a cue and steps aside too

and they will have more time to socialize together off camera

[Marcus IM]

4. Good luck with this ...

"I want to listen to the American people themselves, in cities, small towns and rural areas, from one end of the country to the other, to ask them about their hopes and fears, how they see their role as citizens, and to have long conversations with people who’ve given these questions careful thought.”

Great. When I listen to said Americans, I get word salad with a lousy guar gum based ranch dressing.

I wish her all the best, sad we're going to lose her regular voice.

[LenaBaby61]

14. Oh gawd .....

Sound like Woodruff (Mrs. Al Hunt) is going to be interviewing MAGGOTS ONLY and a few liberals/progressives.

The media just can't quit them. Hope I'm wrong but uh .....

Usually, she's got very well-balanced news casts, and her one-on-one's are pretty good. Is the PBS news hour owned by the Chinese, racist Viktor Orbán or what?

[2naSalit]

6. I have been wondering...

For years, when she would step away from the anchor position. She just looks so frail these days that it's a little distracting.

She's also the mom of the very well trained and rising star in journalism, Betsy Woodruff-Swan. She's had a great influence, I can imagine.

I wish her well on her new venture and hope it is well received and is widely seen.

[elleng]

7. She's never looked frail to me, is one of the hardest working journalists in the country.

Betsy Woodruff-Swann is not her daughter.

Judy's children: Children: Lauren Hunt, Jeffrey Hunt, Benjamin Hunt. Her husband is Al Hunt.

[2naSalit]

11. Well...

Surprise! I thought she was Betsy's mom but, okay. That's what I get for guessing.

I agree that Judy Woodruff is and has been a very hard working journalist forever, I just think she looks like her body is less willing to charge onward than her mind is. Not a dig, I have always had great respect for her, she just looks like her physical self is declining.

[CTyankee]

18. I think she has a delicate complexion that, unfortunately, can become aged looking early on.

I think she's wonderful.

[kellytore]

9. Back in the 1970's my family owned a restaurant down the street from

where Ms. Woodruff worked at WAGA-TV in Atlanta. She would dine with us at least once a week. She was so pleasant to talk with. I wish at the time I realized how lucky I was to have known such a remarkable woman.

[elleng]

10. Very neat!

Lucky, indeed!

[Efilroft Sul]

12. I'll have to get used to a NewsHour anchor not bothsidering with her signature "Some say..."

[Pinback]

15. Please post video evidence.

I watch PBS NewsHour regularly and haven't seen that.

Woodruff is an actual journslist. The lifetime achievement Emmy award she recently won is testament to her dedication and excellence. Her colleagues on the show are professionals who do a great job as well.

[elleng]

17. Ditto.

Thanks

[CitizenZero]

13. I Like Judy Woodruff

The PBS News Hour is always reliable, detailed, and sharp. I wish her luck in her future endeavours.

[Wild blueberry]

16. Good

Hope Amna Nawaz is the new anchor.

I stopped watching NewsHour regularly due to Woodruff's "both sides" when one side has no platform, no solutions, and enabled chaos, obstruction, and treason. She had a good career, but not for some years now.