What is replacing 'PBS News Weekend' after program cuts? What to know.

Two new shows will debut this weekend on PBS following the end of the long-running "PBS News Weekend" program, which aired its last episode earlier this month due to a loss of federal funding.

The abrupt cancellation of the show, which was announced on air on Jan. 11, is the latest loss for public media, which has seen a year of hardship after Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in allocated funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in July 2025. The nonprofit, nongovernmental organization was the primary funder of NPR, PBS and associated stations and properties.

Recently, the organization's board voted on Jan. 5 to dissolve the nearly 60-year-old organization, attributing the decision to a lack of federal funding and “sustained political attacks.” The CPB was created by Congress via the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 and aimed to provide funding and support for public media across the United States to enable greater and equitable access to information and education.

President Donald Trump has rallied against the CPB, NPR and PBS since the start of his presidency, accusing the organizations of failing to present a "fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens."

While those cuts impacted "PBS News Weekend," brand new programming is slated to take its place: "Horizons from PBS News," and "Compass Points from PBS News." Here's what we know about the new shows.

What is 'Horizons from PBS News'?

New show "Horizons from PBS News" is slated to focus on science, health and technology, according to a press release from PBS. The show will be hosted by William Brangham and executive produced by Talesha Reynolds.

The show is expected to feature "experts and professionals in the world of science, health, technology, and the environment, and will dive into a single issue each week, such as the Artificial Intelligence race, advances in medicine, and the latest developments in climate science," according to the release.

The show will premiere on Saturday, Jan. 17.

What is 'Compass Points from PBS News'?

The second show, "Compass Points from PBS News," will tackle foreign affairs, according to the release.

The programming is expected to discuss a "prominent international topic each week" and then provide analysis of the issue with a panel of experts, including former government officials and journalists, the release states. Potential coverage points include "America's power and influence abroad, the shifting world order under the Trump Administration, and what global conflicts and rising tensions could mean for America's interests. "

The show will be hosted by Nick Schifrin and will be executive produced by Stephanie Kotuby. The program will premiere Sunday, Jan. 18

How to watch the new PBS weekend shows

Both shows will air on PBS stations on Saturdays and Sundays, respectively. "Horizons" is slated to air weekly at 6:00 pm E.T. while "Compass Points" will air Sundays weekly at the same time.

In addition to airing nationally on PBS stations, both shows will also be streamed online and distributed as video podcasts across PBS News' digital, podcast and social platforms.

Both "Horizons" and "Compass Points" aim to build on the "existing editorial strengths of our newsroom and allow us to dive deeper into topics our audiences care about deeply," said PBS News Senior Executive Producer Sara Just in the release.

"As we have found with the success of 'Washington Week with The Atlantic,' there is a growing and hungry audience for deep, nuanced conversations with knowledgeable guests that help shed light on critical issues and are a welcome break from some of the bite-sized, headline-grabbing news that proliferates so much these days," Just said.

Contributing: Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press; BrieAnna J. Frank, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] or on X @katecperez_.