The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour

American television program

Also known as: “MacNeil/Lehrer Report”

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July 16, 2026

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The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, later known as PBS NewsHour, was an American television news program that aired on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). It was known for its in-depth, hour-long format, which provided a summary of national and international events followed by detailed reports and interviews.12

The program began in 1973 as a partnership between journalists Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer, initially covering the Watergate scandal. It evolved into The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, offering a new approach to nightly newscasts by dedicating significant attention to a limited number of topics. Despite initial doubts about viewer interest in a full hour of news, the program became a popular and iconic series on PBS. After MacNeil's retirement in 1995, it was renamed The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and later PBS NewsHour.12

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Charlayne Hunter-Gault
…program grew into the 60-minute MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, she became its national correspondent and reported on topics that included racism, Vietnam veterans, life under apartheid, drug abuse, and human rights issues. In 1997 Hunter-Gault left PBS to become the Africa bureau chief for National Public Radio (NPR), and in…
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…program grew into the 60-minute MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, she became its national correspondent and reported on topics that included racism, Vietnam veterans, life under apartheid, drug abuse, and human rights issues. In 1997 Hunter-Gault left PBS to become the Africa bureau chief for National Public Radio (NPR), and in…
Read More

Jim Lehrer
…1983 MacNeil and Lehrer launched The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, an in-depth hour-long news program on PBS. When MacNeil retired in 1995, the show was renamed The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In 2009 the newscast adopted a multianchor format and changed its title to PBS NewsHour. In June 2011 Lehrer stepped down…
Read More
…1983 MacNeil and Lehrer launched The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, an in-depth hour-long news program on PBS. When MacNeil retired in 1995, the show was renamed The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In 2009 the newscast adopted a multianchor format and changed its title to PBS NewsHour. In June 2011 Lehrer stepped down…
Read More

Public Broadcasting Service
…series achieved considerable renown, including The MacNeil/Lehrer Report (begun 1975 with news presenters Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer; now PBS NewsHour), Live from Lincoln Center (begun 1976), Live from the Metropolitan Opera (later titled The Metropolitan Opera Presents; 1977–2006), This Old House (begun 1979), Mystery! (begun 1980; later subsumed into…
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…series achieved considerable renown, including The MacNeil/Lehrer Report (begun 1975 with news presenters Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer; now PBS NewsHour), Live from Lincoln Center (begun 1976), Live from the Metropolitan Opera (later titled The Metropolitan Opera Presents; 1977–2006), This Old House (begun 1979), Mystery! (begun 1980; later subsumed into…
Read More