WCVB expands ‘Chronicle’ with weekday afternoon hour, replacing ‘Jennifer Hudson’

Hearst’s Boston station WCVB will add an hour of “Chronicle” programming to its weekday afternoon schedule beginning Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, replacing “The Jennifer Hudson Show” from 2 to 3 p.m. local time.

The Hearst-owned ABC affiliate will divide the block between a recent episode and material drawn from the newsmagazine’s archives.

An encore of the previous night’s “Chronicle,” anchored by Anthony Everett and Shayna Seymour, will air from 2 to 2:30 p.m. “Classic Chronicle” will follow from 2:30 to 3 p.m., featuring reports from across the program’s nearly 45-year history.

The archival episodes will include appearances by former anchors Peter Mehegan and the late Mary Richardson, along with other reporters who contributed to the program over the years.

“For nearly 45 years, ‘Chronicle’ has been a cornerstone of WCVB’s local programming, showcasing our community and connecting viewers to the people and places that make our region special,” WCVB President and General Manager Andrew Vrees said in a statement.

Vrees said the additional broadcasts will allow the station to feature more locally produced programming across its broadcast and streaming platforms.

“Chronicle” will retain its weeknight time slot from 7:30 to 8 p.m. WCVB describes the program as the nation’s longest-running and highest-rated locally produced television newsmagazine. It celebrated its 40th anniversary in January 2022.

Julie Mehegan, the program’s executive producer, said the afternoon block will combine contemporary reporting with stories that helped establish the program’s identity.

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“With ‘Classic Chronicle,’ we have the opportunity to revisit some of the program’s most memorable moments, celebrating the timeless storytelling and distinctive feature pieces that have defined ‘Chronicle’ for decades,” Mehegan said.

The additional hour comes one year after WCVB moved “The Jennifer Hudson Show” into the 2 p.m. hour as part of its fall 2025 schedule. The nationally syndicated talk show has been renewed for a fifth season but will no longer air in that time period on WCVB, though it was not clear where it will air starting in September.

The trend follows other stations across the country replacing syndicated talk in the afternoons with repackages or repeat episodes of newsmagazine-style content. Many of NBCUniversal’s local stations air repeats of “Dateline” in the afternoons.

WCVB will continue to repeat “Chronicle” Saturdays from 4:30 to 5 a.m. and 7:30 to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 4:30 to 5 a.m. MeTV Boston will air weeknight encores from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Episodes will also stream live and on demand through WCVB’s Very Local app. The service offers curated collections including “Main Streets & Back Roads,” “The Great Outdoors,” “New England Eats” and “Made in New England.” A separate “Classic Chronicle” collection is also planned.