CBS News is to lay off around 6 per cent of its workforce and close its near-100-year-old radio network, as new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pushes a digital overhaul. The cuts, expected to affect approximately 60 employees, were announced in internal memos on Friday.
The network will shut down CBS News Radio on 22 May 2026, ending a service that began in 1927 and included Edward R. Murrow's World War II broadcasts. All positions in the radio team are to be eliminated, with executives citing shifting station strategies and economic pressures.
Weiss, who became editor-in-chief after Paramount acquired her media startup The Free Press in 2025, is refocusing resources on digital and streaming platforms to attract younger viewers. A memo to staff said: 'New audiences are burgeoning in new places... That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.'
The layoffs come after 11 staff from CBS Evening News accepted voluntary buyouts in February. Additionally, the network faced controversy when New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani withdrew from a planned interview, reportedly due to concerns over The Free Press's coverage.
