Both departing shows had been long-running, highly rated, and critically acclaimed for their journalistic quality and focus on issues that deeply impacted regular Americans' lives, yet went largely ignored by commercial TV news outlets.

"[2][3] PBS had described the show as "a multi-platform current affairs news magazine, uniting broadcast and web in an innovative approach to newsgathering and reporting."

Initially, it was co-hosted by Alison Stewart (a regular contributor to NPR, and, at the time, The Rachel Maddow Show's main substitute-host)) and Jon Meachem (a journalist, author, and then-editor-in-chief of Newsweek magazine).

For example, in April 2011, Meacham's role changed to that of "contributing editor" (i.e., a recurring commentary segment) and Stewart became the show's sole anchor.

Marc Rosenwasser, who was the executive producer of Need to Know, served in the same capacity for PBS NewsHour Weekend, which premiered on September 7, 2013.