Pakistani-American journalist Amna Nawaz named co-anchor of PBS NewsHour

Amna Nawaz, a Pakistani-American journalist who was associated with PBS NewsHour as its chief correspondent, has now been named as its co-anchor alongside Geoff Bennett, the show's chief Washington correspondent and PBS News Weekend anchor.

The show, which is part of the legacy media organisation's primetime slot, will be co-hosted by Nawaz and Bennet from January 2, 2023. Nawaz will be succeeding Judy Woodruff, who has been anchoring the show all by herself since 2016 following her co-host and late journalist Gwen Ifil's death.

Nawaz is an award-winning journalist with the prestigious Peabody in her kitty, which she received for her reporting on global plastic pollution for NewsHour in January 2021. Since she began working for the show in 2018, Nawaz has served as a primary substitute anchor.

The 43-year-old journalist began her journalistic career at ABC's show News Nightline — weeks ahead of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. She has earlier worked as an anchor and correspondent at ABC News with her coverage of the 2016 presidential election being the highlight of her career at the organisation.

Nawaz has also served NBC News as its Islamabad bureau chief and foreign correspondent. She was the founder and former managing editor of NBC Asian America.

“It’s never been more important for people to have access to news and information they trust, and the entire NewsHour team strives relentlessly towards that goal every day. 

"I am honoured to be part of this mission, to work with colleagues I admire and adore, and to take on this new role alongside Geoff as we help write the next chapter in NewsHour’s story," Nawaz said on being named as the programme's co-host.

She added that getting this ahead in her career as a journalist was something she had never imagined as a first-generation Muslim, Pakistani-American.

"I’m grateful, humbled, and excited for what’s ahead," the journalist said on achieving a milestone in her career.