Storm clouds gather at PBS NewsHour

The NYT ticks off a fast-forming list of headaches for the venerable PBS nightly newscast, not least of which is that San Ramon-based Chevron, the show’s main corporate underwriter, is pulling up stakes at the end of the year. Chevron accounts for $2 million of NewsHour’s $27 million annual budget.
Among other issues:

• The Knight Foundation, which helped underwrite the show’s website, has declined to provide more support.
• Its political editor (David Chalian) and managing editor for digital news (Maureen Hoch) are both leaving.
• Longtime anchor Jim Lehrer, who has an ancillary role, may leave entirely at the end of the year.
• Some PBS member stations are grumbling that the show’s scheme of rotating anchors is confusing.
• And, last but not least, viewership is down 11 percent from a year ago.

Noted: On the bright side, at least, in Chevron’s case, viewers won’t be subjected to those obnoxious pseudo-environmental “We’ve got to get on this now” commercial spots.