NewsHour Productions

NewsHour Productions
FormationSeptember 14, 1981; 45 years ago (1981-09-14) (as MacNeil/Lehrer Productions)
July 1, 2014; 12 years ago (2014-07-01) (current company)
TypeNon-profit
Television Production
Film Production
Tax ID no.53-0242992
Legal status501(c)(3)
HeadquartersArlington, Virginia, U.S.
Parent organization
WETA-TV
Websitenewshourproductions.org
Formerly called
MacNeil/Lehrer-Gannett Productions (1981-1986)
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions (1986-2014)

NewsHour Productions (formerly MacNeil/Lehrer-Gannett Productions and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions) is a television production company that was originally founded in 1981 by Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer, anchors of television's The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, now PBS News Hour. Its flagship program is PBS News Hour. It is a subsidiary of WETA-TV.

History

MacNeil/Lehrer Productions

In 1981, Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer, who were anchors on PBS' The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, in partnership with the Gannett Company, formed MacNeil/Lehrer-Gannett Productions to produce television programming. Editorial control of the company was handled by MacNeil and Lehrer. Its intent was sell to commercial networks, syndication and cable.

With threats of losing its contract to PBS, MacNeil and Lehrer optend to extend the program on the condition that it was expanded to an hour. The resulting program, a renamed version of The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, called The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, debuted in 1983 on PBS. It was a ratings success. In 1983, executive producer Al Vecchione became the company president of MacNeil/Lehrer-Gannett Productions.

It led MacNeil/Lehrer to expand beyond the flagship NewsHour, so it offered another program in 1985. It was called My Heart, Your Heart, and sponsored by AT&T, and another program, The Story of English, in conjunction with BBC, to be sponsored by General Foods. The company also made wraparounds for WNET-TV's program The Heart of the Dragon. In 1986, MacNeil and Lehrer split from Gannett after five years, so the company was renamed to MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.

In 1987, it inked a deal with Roger Mudd, where he was employed by the company to work for the flagship NewsHour, as well as other projects the company is producing. In 1988, it attempted to partner with Current Trends Productions to develop a weekly medical news program for first-run syndication, but this was never materialized. Also that year, the company produced an hour-long special on Thomas Edison, that was hosted by Roger Mudd, that aired on Disney Channel.

In 1989, MacNeil/Lehrer's expansion came when they made 12 one-hour documentaries on George Shultz, meant for PBS. Also that year, the company partnered with WETA-TV to produce the Learning in America specials on PBS, which was sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, and hosted by Roger Mudd. Later that year, the company hired Dr C. Everett Koop to host a series of hour-long specials produced by the company for NBC, which eventually aired in 1991.

In 1991, it was announced that MacNeil/Lehrer Productions is co-producing with NBC News, the coverage of the 1992 United States presidential election, which aired on PBS. In 1993, the company hired NBC News executive Garrick Utley to develop a news program, but it never materialized as Utley is about to move to ABC News.

In 1994, controlling interest of MacNeil/Lehrer Productions was sold to Liberty Media, who handled majority control, while MacNeil and Lehrer retained editorial control. Also that year, Robert MacNeil announced that he will retire from the flagship series NewsHour in 1995, leading the program to rename to The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. In 1996, Al Vecchione had left the company.

MacNeil/Lehrer Productions twice planned to launch late-night newscasts in 1995 and 1999; in both instances, the proposed expansions of NewsHour—which, respectively, were to have involved production and newsgathering partnerships with Wall Street Journal Television and The New York Times—were canceled mid-development.

In 2005, Lester M. Crystal, a NewsHour producer, became the president of the company. In 2009, the flagship program adopted its current title, PBS NewsHour. Jim Lehrer stepped down from the NewsHour series in 2011. In 2014, shortly before it was sold, the company teamed up with website Al-Monitor to produce web videos on Middle East for websites.

NewsHour Productions

In 2013, MacNeil and Lehrer, along with Liberty Media, decided to sell the company, including its assets and staff to WETA-TV. The sale was finalized on July 1, 2014, and the company was renamed to NewsHour Productions, as it was transitioned into non-profit (a similar situation existed when Small World Enterprises, a for-profit organization turned into Family Communications in 1971) although MacNeil and Lehrer still owned the MacNeil/Lehrer Productions name.

In 2021, the company took over management of WETA-TV's news series Washington Week, and PBS NewsHour Weekend from WNET-TV, which was later renamed to PBS News Weekend. The company underwent staff reorganization in 2022.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 14, 1981. p. 128. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ Friendly, Jonathan (1983-09-04). "'MACNEIL/LEHRER' GEARS UP FOR AN HOUR". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  3. ↑ Kerr, Peter (1983-09-07). "No Headline". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  4. ↑ "Fates & Fortunes" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 4, 1983. p. 101. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Telecastings" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 7, 1985. p. 202. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ "MacNeil and Lehrer: PBS's winning team" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 3, 1987. p. 94. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  7. ↑ "The TV Column". The Washington Post. 1986-06-05. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  8. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 2, 1987. p. 104. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Syndication snowballs toward NATPE" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 31, 1988. p. 32. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  10. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 24, 1988. p. 86. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Insider experience" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 3, 1989. p. 50. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Surprise visit" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 27, 1989. p. 38. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 16, 1989. p. 89. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ "NBC to produce conventions with PBS" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 5, 1991. p. 27. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  15. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. August 23, 1993. p. 90. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  16. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. September 13, 1993. p. 66. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  17. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 5, 1994. p. 92. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  18. ↑ Carter, Bill (1994-10-11). "MacNeil to Retire From 'Newshour' In '95 After 20 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  19. ↑ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 22, 1996. p. 85. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  20. ↑ Jensen, Elizabeth (1999-03-16). "PBS May Leap Into Late-News Lineup". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-05-26. MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, producer of the venerable "NewsHour With Jim Lehrer," is trying again to launch a late-night newscast on Public Broadcasting Service stations nationwide, this time in conjunction with the New York Times...MacNeil/Lehrer first tried to launch a late-night newscast, dubbed "The National News," in 1995. Plans for the program, which was to be produced with Dow Jones & Co.'s Wall Street Journal Television unit, were eventually dropped.
  21. ↑ "Lester M. Crystal, PBS NewsHour producer and former NBC News chief, dies at 85". The Washington Post. 2020-06-25. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  22. ↑ "Changes coming to PBS' 'NewsHour'". Los Angeles Times. 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  23. ↑ "Jim Lehrer is leaving 'PBS NewsHour' anchor chair". Los Angeles Times. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  24. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (2014-02-11). "MacNeil/Lehrer Productions Teams Up With Al-Monitor For Middle East Web Specials". Variety. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  25. ↑ "NewsHour founders to transfer ownership". Current. October 21, 2013. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  26. ↑ "WETA might take over ownership of 'PBS NewsHour'". The Washington Post. 2013-10-09. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  27. ↑ Sefton, Dru (2014-06-18). "WETA to create subsidiary for transfer of PBS NewsHour ownership". Current. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  28. ↑ "WETA and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions Announce Planned Transfer Of PBS NewsHour To WETA". PBS News. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  29. ↑ Jensen, Elizabeth (2014-06-18). "WETA to Take Ownership of 'PBS NewsHour'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  30. ↑ Wyllie, Julian (2021-12-06). "NewsHour Productions takes over management of 'Washington Week'". Current. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  31. ↑ Wyllie, Julian (2021-11-18). "WETA to take control of 'NewsHour Weekend' with Geoff Bennett as host". Current. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  32. ↑ Wyllie, Julian (2022-02-28). "Comings and goings: NewsHour Productions announces staff changes, WAMU CCO leaving station …". Current. Retrieved 2026-04-02.