TV Q&A: What happened to 2 ‘NewsHour’ regulars?

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review.

Q: For as long as I’ve been watching “PBS NewsHour” they have had a regular weekly feature, “Political Stakes” with Tamara Keith of NPR and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report. But so far in January, they have not been seen or heard on the program. Has “Politics Monday” been discontinued?

— Mark, Squirrel Hill

Rob: “PBS NewsHour” has two new anchors, Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz, and with that comes some changes to “NewsHour.”

Per a “NewsHour” publicist, with a new co-anchor team, “NewsHour” is hitting pause on the Monday “Political Stakes” segment.

“We’ll continue to cover politics intensely and we look forward to welcoming Amy Walter and Tamara Keith’s insights and reporting on the program again soon,” the publicist said.

Bennett and Nawaz take over as former anchor Judy Woodruff steps back to do more reporting. Nawaz said their goal is to carry on the tradition set forth by past anchors Jim Lehrer, Robert McNeil, Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill.

“The reason we are the most trusted brand in news today is because we’ve remained that fact-based, mission-focused place of journalism,” Nawaz said during PBS’s portion of January’s Television Critics Association winter 2023 press tour in Pasadena, Calif. “Though the faces behind the desk have changed, it’s fulfilling that same service and that same mission. We don’t have the same pressures as a 24/7 outlet, that is true. But we are also much more than just an hour every day. We have a robust digital and social output. We have livestream offerings. We do primetime special, breaking news coverage, and also long-form documentaries, podcasts.”

Bennett said what makes “NewsHour” different is that it covers news as a public service, less so as a business enterprise in a messy information-, misinformation- and disinformation-filled media landscape since the rise of social media.

“I often feel like the best way to counteract that is with more information,” Bennett said. “Information that is replete with context and transparency and as many voices as you can pack into a story and first-hand voices, and I think that’s what we do night after night. And it’s one of the reasons why this now near 50-year old program is the most trusted name in media. It’s hard-earned, and we strive to meet that bar each and every day.”

Q: Can you please advise if the following shows will be returning: Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady” and “I Can See Your Voice” and Syfy’s “Resident Alien.”

— Nancy, via email

Rob: “The Cleaning Lady” wrapped its season in December. Just last week Fox renewed it for a third season. New episodes will likely air in the fall.

Fox has filmed a third season of “I Can See Your Voice,” but it has not been scheduled. My guess is it may air this summer.

Syfy renewed “Resident Alien” for a third season but then cut its episode order from 12 to eight episodes. A third-season premiere date has not been announced.

Q: Why has “Forensic Files 2” been moved from HLN to Investigative Discovery?

— Chad, via email

Rob: True crime does well in the ratings. HLN and ID are both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and they are sharing some true crime programs. “Forensic Files II” has not moved to ID but is being shared with ID by HLN. “Forensic Files II” will continue to make HLN its primary home and the place where new episodes will premiere.