You’re sitting on your couch on a Saturday evening, the game just ended, and you flip over to catch the headlines. Usually, you expect a familiar face. But lately, if you’ve been watching the CBS Weekend News, you might have noticed things look a little different than they did a few years ago. Network news isn't the monolith it used to be. It’s fluid.
Jericka Duncan and Adriana Diaz are the names you need to know.
They aren't just "fill-ins." They are the backbone of the weekend prestigious slot. Duncan handles the Saturday broadcast out of New York, while Diaz takes the Sunday reins from Chicago. This geographic split is actually a pretty big deal in the world of broadcast journalism. It’s not just about logistics; it’s about a deliberate shift in how CBS News wants to brand its weekend identity.
The Saturday Shift with Jericka Duncan
Jericka Duncan is a powerhouse. Honestly, if you've followed her career since she joined CBS in 2013, her rise to the CBS Weekend News anchor chair feels almost inevitable. She’s an Emmy-nominated journalist who doesn't just sit behind a desk and read a teleprompter. She’s spent years in the mud, literally and figuratively.
Think back to her coverage of the shooting of Breonna Taylor or the various trials surrounding R. Kelly. She has this way of being incredibly composed while reporting on things that are, frankly, gut-wrenching. CBS officially named her the Saturday anchor back in late 2020. It was part of a broader "reimagining" of the weekend news. They wanted someone who felt like a lead national correspondent but had the authority of a desk anchor.
She's got deep roots in the industry. Her father, Ronnie Duncan, is a legendary sports anchor. You can see that "newsroom DNA" in how she handles breaking stories. It's fast. It's precise. There’s no fluff.
But here is the thing people get wrong: they think the weekend news is just a condensed version of the weekday Evening News with Norah O'Donnell. It isn't. The Saturday broadcast has a slightly different rhythm. It’s often shorter—sometimes only 30 minutes depending on your local affiliate's sports schedule—and it has to pack a massive punch. Duncan’s style fits that perfectly. She cuts through the noise.
Sunday Nights and the Chicago Connection
Then you have Adriana Diaz on Sundays. This was a massive move for CBS. By basing the Sunday edition of the CBS Weekend News in Chicago at the CBS-owned station WBBM-TV, the network broke the "New York/DC bubble."
Diaz is sharp. She was a Beijing correspondent. She’s covered the immigration crisis at the border. She has that "global view" that a Sunday night broadcast really needs because, by Sunday, the news cycle is usually pivoting from "what happened today" to "what is going to happen in the week ahead."
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Why Chicago? It was a strategic play by Susan Zirinsky (the former President of CBS News) and the current leadership to make the news feel more "national." If you’re only broadcasting from Manhattan, you risk missing the vibe of the rest of the country. Diaz brings a different energy. It feels a bit more grounded.
The "Rotating" Anchor Myth
A lot of people Google "who are the CBS weekend news anchors" because they see a different face every few weeks and get confused.
Here is the reality. Network news is exhausting.
Duncan and Diaz are the permanent anchors, but they are also top-tier national correspondents. If a major hurricane hits or a political scandal breaks in DC, they are often sent into the field. When that happens, you’ll see "the subs." This is where you get faces like Jamie Yuccas, Errol Barnett, or Lana Zak.
It’s a bit of a bench-strength game. CBS uses the weekend slots to "road test" their next generation of stars. If you see someone anchoring on a random Sunday in July, there’s a good chance the network is looking at them for a major promotion in the next eighteen months. It's basically the minor leagues for the evening news throne, but the stakes are incredibly high.
Why the Weekend Anchor Role Still Matters in 2026
You might think that in the age of TikTok and 24-hour Twitter (X) cycles, waiting until 6:30 PM on a Saturday to hear the news is obsolete.
You’d be wrong.
The CBS Weekend News actually pulls in millions of viewers who are "news grazers." These are people who aren't glued to cable news all day but want a definitive "record of the day" before they move on with their weekend.
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There’s also the "60 Minutes" factor.
On Sundays, the news is the lead-in (or the follow-up) to 60 Minutes, which is still the most-watched news program on television. Adriana Diaz has one of the most coveted lead-in slots in all of media. If the news is late because of an NFL game, millions of people are sitting there staring at her, waiting for the ticking clock. That is a massive amount of pressure.
Breaking Down the Evolution
If we look back ten years, the weekend news was often an afterthought. It was where anchors went to retire or where young kids got their first break before being moved to the "real" shows.
That has flipped.
Now, the CBS Weekend News anchors are integral to the network’s digital strategy. The clips from Duncan’s interviews or Diaz’s reports are designed to go viral on CBS News’ streaming platforms. They aren't just making a TV show; they are creating "content assets."
- Jericka Duncan: Saturday Anchor (New York based)
- Adriana Diaz: Sunday Anchor (Chicago based)
- The Format: Hard news, fast-paced, heavy emphasis on social justice and national policy.
What Most People Miss About the Job
It's not just about the hair and the makeup and the suit. Being a weekend anchor at a major network like CBS means you are essentially the "Editor in Chief" of that broadcast.
Unlike the weekday show, which has a massive staff of hundreds, the weekend crews are leaner. The anchors have a lot more say in what stories make the cut. If Jericka Duncan feels a story about maternal mortality rates is more important than a political gaffe, she has the leverage to push that to the top of the "rundown."
This autonomy is why the weekend broadcasts often feel more "human" than the weekday versions. They reflect the personalities of Duncan and Diaz more clearly than the weekday show reflects its host.
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How to Follow the Coverage
If you’re trying to keep up with who is behind the desk, the best way isn't actually checking your local listings—it's following the anchors themselves.
Duncan and Diaz are both incredibly active on social media, often posting "behind the scenes" looks at the newsroom. This isn't just vanity. It's a way to build trust. In a world of "fake news" and AI-generated misinformation, seeing the actual human being sitting in the makeup chair at 4:00 PM on a Saturday helps viewers feel a connection to the source.
Actionable Insights for the News Consumer:
Check your local CBS affiliate's schedule around 6:00 PM EST. Sports often cause "slidage," meaning the news might start at a weird time like 6:44 PM. If you missed the live broadcast, the full episodes of CBS Weekend News are almost always uploaded to the CBS News YouTube channel or the Paramount+ streaming app within an hour of airing.
If you see a name you don't recognize, look at their "beat." Usually, CBS brings in a specialist. If it's a heavy legal news day, they might bring in a legal correspondent to anchor. It’s a smart way to ensure the person delivering the news actually understands the jargon they are reading.
The era of the "all-knowing" anchor is dead. We are now in the era of the "expert correspondent" anchor. Jericka Duncan and Adriana Diaz are the blueprints for that shift. They aren't just telling you what happened; they are explaining why it matters from a position of actual experience in the field.
To stay truly informed, don't just watch the headlines. Pay attention to the "Close Up" segments usually aired toward the end of the Saturday broadcast. These are deep-dive investigative pieces that often get buried during the busy weekday cycle but find a home on the weekend. Following the reporters who produce these segments on platforms like LinkedIn or X will give you a much broader understanding of the national landscape than a 30-second soundbite ever could.
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