CBS News has announced a new round of layoffs affecting approximately 6% of its 1,100-person staff, as part of a strategic restructuring. The cuts, which were communicated in a memo from editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, also include the closure of CBS News Radio, a service that has been operating for nearly 100 years.
Employees were informed on Friday if their jobs were affected, with Weiss and Cibrowski acknowledging the difficulty of the decision. “We recognize that this is a difficult time for those who will be leaving CBS News,” they wrote. “Because these aren’t just names on a list. They are talented, committed colleagues who have been critical to our success.”
The radio service, which traces its roots back to 1927 and hosted Edward R. Murrow’s wartime reports, will cease operations on 22 May 2026. Weiss and Cibrowski described the closure as a “necessary decision” due to changing radio station programming strategies and economic challenges.
Weiss addressed staff on an editorial call, emphasising that the cuts were not a reflection of their work quality but a response to industry transformation. “It simply has everything to do with the times we are living in, and the way that this industry perhaps more than any other industry is being just transformed,” she said.
The layoffs follow an earlier round in late October, described by staff as a “blood bath”, and come after Skydance Media acquired CBS News parent company Paramount in August. Further cuts are expected as Paramount Skydance pursues acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, pending regulatory approval.
