The magazine-format program instead features a mix of multiple long-form reports conducted by Attkisson and a team of correspondents – with a focus on investigative "accountability journalism" centering on political and socioeconomic issues (including wasteful project spending by state and federal governments, political whistleblowing, and fraud and abuse of power by corporations and special interest groups).

Although it departs from the standard Sunday morning talk show format, Full Measure also features interviews with political figures in the news.

On April 22, 2015, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it reached an agreement with Attkisson to host a half-hour weekly Washington, D.C.–based news program that would debut on most of Sinclair's ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and CW-affiliated stations in 79 markets, including those operated by partner companies such as Deerfield Media and Cunningham Broadcasting that fall.

The contentious topics related to the Obama administration, such as the investigation of the 2012 Benghazi attack and the rollout of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

[11] Sinclair gave Attkisson editorial control of Full Measure, allowing it to deal with topics that may be perceived as controversial or having a political or ideological agenda.