Jack Smith's Senate defense extends PBS NewsHour's fast-start streak
Most of the big news channels were running below their usual pace, but the hearing report quickly moved far ahead of a normal NewsHour opening.
PBS NewsHourStory of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 143,874 views a day, 19 times a normal first day on this channel (7,652).
During Senate hearing, Jack Smith defends criminal investigations of Trump
Another quick start at PBS. "During Senate hearing, Jack Smith defends criminal investigations of Trump" passed 57,000 views within six hours of going up. That puts it on course for a first day many times what a new NewsHour upload usually draws, and it makes the report the channel's fastest starter of the moment.
The timing is part of what makes it stand out. Most of the large news channels nearby, from LiveNOW from FOX and Forbes Breaking News to TMZ, were running well below their usual daily pace. The New York Times was the one running above its own.
Smith is the former special counsel appointed in 2022 to lead the federal investigations of Donald Trump, one over classified documents and one over efforts to overturn the 2020 election. According to the title, he used the hearing to defend that work.
It is a fourth fast starter for the NewsHour in two days, after the UN General Assembly, a nor'easter and new fuel economy rules. This time the subject is Capitol Hill.
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- Channel
- PBS NewsHour
- Subscribers
- 5,380,000
- Video published
- September 29, 2026
- Video views so far
- 57,093 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 143,874
The numbers
Here are the figures behind a hearing report that moved far faster than a usual PBS NewsHour upload.
