CBS News is undergoing a significant shake-up, announcing plans to lay off roughly 6 percent of its workforce and shut down its long-running radio division, according to multiple reports released Friday. The moves mark another chapter in what leadership describes as a rapidly changing media landscape—one that is forcing even legacy institutions to make difficult decisions.
The layoffs come just months after an earlier round of cuts tied to broader restructuring efforts at parent company Paramount. When editor-in-chief Bari Weiss took over CBS News in October, approximately 100 staffers were let go as part of a larger wave of about 1,000 layoffs across the company. Now, further reductions signal that the transformation is far from over.
In internal communications, Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski acknowledged the gravity of the moment. Employees affected by the latest cuts are expected to be notified by the end of the day, according to the memo.
“We recognize that this is a difficult time for those who will be leaving CBS News,” the executives wrote. At the same time, they pointed to what they described as a fundamental shift in how audiences consume news. “It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it.”
That message reflects a broader reality facing the media industry: audiences are increasingly turning to new platforms, leaving traditional formats struggling to keep pace. CBS leadership made clear that their strategy is to follow those audiences, even if it means shrinking certain parts of the newsroom.
“New audiences are burgeoning in new places,” the memo stated, adding that the company plans to invest in growth areas while scaling back elsewhere. The implication is clear—adapt or fall behind.
Perhaps the most symbolic move in this transition is the decision to shut down CBS News Radio, a service that has operated for nearly a century. In a second internal note, Weiss and Cibrowski confirmed that the radio division will cease operations on May 22, 2026. The closure will impact approximately 700 affiliated stations and result in the elimination of all positions within the CBS News Radio team.
“Unfortunately, this decision means that all positions within the CBS News Radio team are being eliminated,” the executives wrote, underscoring the sweeping nature of the change.
The restructuring follows Paramount’s acquisition of Weiss’s media outlet, The Free Press, for $150 million in October—a move that signaled a new direction for CBS News. Since then, the organization has seen not only layoffs but also notable employee turnover and shifts in its political coverage.
One of the more striking changes was the dismantling of the CBS News Race and Culture Unit, which had been established in July 2020. Its elimination, part of the earlier round of layoffs, reflected a broader rethinking of newsroom priorities under new leadership.
Taken together, the cuts, closures, and internal changes paint a picture of a network in transition. While executives emphasize growth and adaptation, the human cost of that transformation is hard to ignore. For many employees and longtime listeners, the end of CBS News Radio and the continued downsizing of staff serve as a reminder that even the most established institutions are not immune to disruption.
As CBS News charts its path forward, the challenge will be balancing innovation with the legacy that built its reputation—while navigating an industry that is evolving faster than ever.
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