‘PBS News Hour’ anchors sign new deals while also picking up managing editor titles

Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz, the co-anchors of “PBS News Hour,” have signed new deals to remain with the broadcast while also picking up new titles.

The pair, who have anchored the broadcast since Jan. 2, 2023, will also become co-managing editors of the broadcast. It was not immediately clear how long their new contracts will keep them at the helm of “News Hour.”

It’s not uncommon for network-level anchors to also hold the title of managing editor, though it is sometimes given to another staffer for less experienced anchors. The title can also be a negotiating tool during contract talks.

While the specifics of what this role entails can vary from network to network, the title generally means the anchor or anchors are given more input into the broadcast’s content. This can include aspects such as story selection and stacking.

In general, anchors with this type of arrangement get more control over the news they deliver each night. Newscasts with anchors serving in both roles typically still have a team of other senior producers — and all of these people collaborate on many aspects of the newscast. In many cases, the managing editor title may give the anchor the “final say” on editorial decisions. 

Judy Woodruff, who had solo-anchored the “News Hour” since 2016, was also co-managing editor of the newscast with former co-anchor Gwen Ifill. After Ifill’s death that year, Woodruff become the single anchor and managing editor. She and Ifill had co-anchored since 2013, with Woodruff stepping down in late 2022 to make way for Bennett and Nawaz.