Major PBS Anchor Exits

By Michael Hein

Journalist Yamiche Alcindor announced last month that she was stepping down from her role on PBS News' Washington Week, and her last night passed on Feb. 24. Alcindor is taking the extra time in her schedule to focus on writing her memoir, but she will continue to contribute on-screen reporting to NBC News. She wrote: "After deep thought and some meaningful conversations, I have decided to step away from the moderator role of Washington Week."

"This move will allow me to focus full time on my commitments to NBC News and to finish my upcoming memoir," Alcindor went on in a tweet in mid-February. She has been the moderator of Washington Week since 2021, and was previously PBS NewsHour's White House correspondent. Her appearances on NBC News are her most recently-acquired job, and she explained that those will continue.

Washington Week is a roundtable-style talk show featuring mostly journalists who discuss the biggest stories of each week. It first premiered in 1967. It airs on Friday evenings and is produced by NewsHour Productions in Washington, D.C. It is filmed at WETA-TV.

WETA president and CEO Sharon Rockefeller issued a memo to staffers alongside Alcindor's resignation. It read: "We are very grateful to Yamiche for her commitment to the highest standards of journalism during her years in public media." As for the next moderator, Rockefeller said: "we will draw on the strong roster of journalists at PBS NewsHour and in the Washington press corps to continue this good work."

In her statement, Alcindor spoke highly of her colleagues at PBS and the work they did together. She praised the show and its unique format, clearly admiring the work done there. Alcindor wrote to viewers: "As I step away from the show, I hope to still see you regularly as I report on the big stories and the impact of policy & politics on everyday Americans for NBC News."

Alcindor wrapped up her tenure on Washington Week on Friday, Feb. 24. She will continue as the Washington correspondent for NBC News, presumably without interruption. Alcidnor is 36 years old and is already lauded for her work as a journalist, notably kicking off with coverage of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. She rose to the national level quickly and has made many appearances on MSNBC for years now.

So far, little is known about Alcindor's planned memoir. She was born in Miami, Florida to Haitian-born parents and she took an interest in journalism at a young age. Alcindor was an intern at the Miami Herald twice, among other outlets. She earned her bachelor's degree at Georgetown University and her master's degree at New York University. Fans can still catch her on NBC News.

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