From Pennsbury to anchor desk: Hallie Jackson is next host of NBC's Sunday Nightly News

The Sunday edition of NBC's Nightly News will soon feature a new anchor whose roots run through Bucks County.

Hallie Jackson, a Pennsbury High School graduate, will assume hosting duties on Sunday, April 7.

"Hallie is an exceptional journalist and an extraordinary broadcaster, representing the very best of NBC News," said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News’ executive vice president of programming, in a statement released by the network. "She is a natural fit to anchor our flagship newscast on Sundays."

NBC Sunday Nightly News airs at 6:30 p.m.

Hallie Jackson grew up in Lower Makefield; always wanted to be in broadcasting

Jackson grew up in Lower Makefield, and her dreams of a newscasting career started in earnest while attending Pennsbury High School.

During that time, Jackson fell in love with the newscasting style of the local TV news, including 6ABC.

"And for a while, I even had their intro music as my ringtone," Jackson recalled in an interview when appointed as White House correspondent. "And, of course, we always watched the Pennsbury band march in the Thanksgiving Day parade on Channel 6."

Jackson, then a 17-year-old senior, was a Pennsbury representative at the 2002 National Forensic League Competition, impressing the judges on the way to finishing as a quarter-finalist.

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From Pennsbury, Jackson went on to graduate from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Jackson also served an internship with a television station in New York while enrolled at Johns Hopkins.

Jackson, though, maintained Bucks County roots, hosting her 2011 marriage in Perkasie.

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Hallie Jackson covered Trump Administration, moderated Democratic presidential debate

Jackson served as NBC's White House Correspondent during the Trump Administration, and covered several of Trump's international travels.

"She traveled with him on key international trips, including the summits with Kim Jong Un and the anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. In 2020, she was a co-moderator of the most-watched Democratic presidential debate in history with nearly 20 million viewers on television," read the release from NBC. "She also anchored MSNBC Reports with Hallie Jackson and before that, the 10 a.m. hour on MSNBC.

"Jackson earned her reputation as a tenacious reporter on the 2016 campaign trail, landing exclusive interviews with then-leading Republican candidates."

Hallie Jackson will continue roles as White House correspondent, other NBC News roles

Jasckson's newest anchor role won't pull her away from other NBC News responsibilities.

"In addition to her new role, Jackson will continue to anchor Hallie Jackson NOW weekdays at 5:00-7:00 p.m. on NBC News NOW, NBC News’ 24/7 streaming news network," read a portion of the statement from NBC News. "She will also retain her role as senior Washington correspondent, reporting across TODAY, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, in addition to NBC News NOW and NBCNews.com."

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County native Hallie Jackson tapped to host Sunday Nighty News