Washington Week host Robert Costa.

Catch the last two Washington Week broadcasts with Robert Costa. After three years as host and managing editor of the Friday night PBS news roundup Washington Week, Robert Costa will conclude his tenure with the 8 p.m. broadcast on Friday, January 1, 2021. Costa is leaving television to co-write a book with renowned journalist Bob Woodward.

Washington Week, produced by WETA, the PBS station in Washington, DC, will continue its weekly roundtable panel discussions about the week’s news with renowned journalists, moderated by interim hosts. Washington Week is the longest-running primetime news and public affairs program on television.

WETA President and CEO Sharon Percy Rockefeller said of Costa’s departure:

Bob is one of the most talented journalists I know, with a deep commitment to the highest standards of journalism and the relentless drive of an investigative reporter. He has been the ideal moderator of Washington Week for this remarkable political cycle, bringing perspectives from his superb reporting, profound knowledge of politics, and insider sources to the Washington Week roundtable each week.

Respected by his peers, Bob has brought an insightful, diverse and expert slate of reporters to the Friday-night discussions. His abiding dedication to the important role of public broadcasting in our society and for our audiences has made him a valued part of our mission.

Reflecting on his change in career, Robert Costa shared:

While stepping away to co-author a book isn’t easy, I do it with a deep sense of appreciation for WETA and Washington Week. This experience, from working with the wonderful crew on Friday night to engaging with the devoted audience, has lifted me as a reporter and been a joy.

In 2017, Sharon Rockefeller welcomed me into the public broadcasting family by giving me the honor of moderating Washington Week. Ever since then, she has been a mentor and friend. I look forward to working with her and the first-rate team at WETA in the future. WETA and PBS, supported by their partners, are truly invaluable institutions in journalism and also in American civic life.

Until a new Washington Week moderator is named, the program will draw from the best of Washington’s political reporters to host the roundtable discussions. Washington Week could not be more important in these times; the perspective that reporters bring to the news of the week is critical to our understanding of issues, policy and events as the country moves towards a new president and administration.

Watch Robert Costa in his last two dates as moderator: Fridays at 8 p.m. on December 25, 2020  and  January 1, 2021. We hope you will continue watching! Past episodes of Washington Week are available on its program page.