CBS News layoffs: Internal memo shows 6% jobs to be cut to ‘remain competitive’, CBS Radio to end in May, say reports
According to Bloomberg, based on an internal memo, American media giant CBS News is preparing to lay off 6 percent of its workforce on March 20 to “preserve its competition.” The news network, owned by Paramount Skydance Corporation, said affected staff would be notified by the end of the day.
The layoffs were first reported by US magazine Variety.
In an internal memo to employees from CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski said: “New audiences are sprouting up in new places, and we’re moving forward with ambitious plans to grow and invest to be there for them. That means some parts of our newsroom will have to shrink to make room for the things we need to build to stay competitive.”
As many as 60 employees could be issued pink payroll today, according to a report from The New York Post (NYP). It was unclear which departments or units were affected.
According to Reuters, Weiss aims to boost the ratings of CBS rivals ABC and NBC and bring a “broadcast mentality” to the news network.
Variety first reported the news of the workforce reduction.
Bari Weiss takeover controversy
Notably, Weiss took over CBS News in October last year after David Ellison-controlled Paramount acquired media outlet The Free Press. He has made a number of changes at the media company since his takeover, including replacing the nightly news anchor, according to Bloomberg’s report.
He added that in January he announced a strategy to add 19 new participants to the network and restructure operations to include news broadcasts on digital platforms, according to a Reuters report. Celebrity host Anderson Cooper left CBS News following the Weiss takeover.
The decision to postpone the ’60 Minutes’ episode about the deportation of immigrants to a foreign prison sparked controversy because promos for the episode had already aired. According to Bloomberg, the channel finally aired the episode after several edits.
CBS News shuts down nearly 100-year-old radio service
CBS News is also shutting down its long-established radio news service, the AP reported. He added that the service lasted nearly a century.
The cut is part of planned layoffs and comes amid a shift in radio station programming strategies and challenging economic conditions, according to the report.
CBS News Radio put its first program on the air in September 1927, before the entire network existed. This was the debut of William S. Paley, who turned his small radio station into a sprawling network, according to the AP report.
It was also noted that Pioneer broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow was on the staff reporting from London during World War II as part of his radio service.
In 2026, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the United States and is best known for its top-of-the-day news recaps. The service will end May 22, the network said Friday.
“While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one,” Weiss and Cibrowski’s memo added, according to the AP.
(With input from Bloomberg, Reuters and AP)
