PBS News Weekend will air its final broadcast this Sunday, marking the end of the program after more than a decade on air. The cancellation stems directly from federal budget cuts to public broadcasting funding, which have forced significant restructuring at PBS News.
During the Friday evening edition of the flagship PBS NewsHour, co-anchors Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett delivered the somber announcement. Nawaz stated: “Due to federal budget cuts, we’ve had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming. And, this Sunday, our ‘PBS News Weekend’ team will sign off the air.”
The decision follows earlier reports from November 2025 that WETA (the producing station) would end the weekend edition due to a multimillion-dollar shortfall after the loss of Community Service Grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Congress rescinded over $1 billion in CPB funding in 2025, leading to the CPB's eventual dissolution and widespread impacts across public media.
Weekend anchor John Yang, who has led the program since late 2022, joined the anchors on air to reflect on his tenure.
NEW — PBS Says Their Weekend News Team Will Sign Off the Air This Sunday
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) January 10, 2026
“Due to federal budget cuts, PBS News had to make the difficult decision to rework our staffing and programming. This Sunday, our PBS News Weekend team will sign off the air.”pic.twitter.com/IwKQ8HMPWZ
The half-hour Saturday and Sunday broadcasts, originally launched in 2013 as expansions of the PBS NewsHour, provided in-depth weekend coverage of national and international news.
In response to the change, PBS News has announced two new 30-minute weekend programs to replace it, beginning later in January 2026:Horizons from PBS News, focusing on science, health, and technology, hosted by William Brangham (premiering Saturday, January 17).
Compass Points from PBS News, centered on foreign affairs, hosted by Nick Schifrin (premiering Sunday, January 18).These will air in the same time slots (typically 6 p.m. ET, check local listings) and also stream on PBS News digital platforms, podcasts, and social channels.
The cuts have not affected the weekday PBS NewsHour or programs like Washington Week with The Atlantic. However, they reflect broader challenges facing public media amid reduced federal support, with advocates warning of potential gaps in trusted, non-commercial journalism—especially in rural and underserved communities.
Viewers can watch the final PBS News Weekend episode this Sunday and catch the new programs starting the following weekend. For more details, visit the official PBS NewsHour website.