Posted in: CBS, TV | Tagged: cbs news

CBS News Heads Announce More Layoffs, CBS News Radio to Be Shut Down

CBS News' Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski announced a new round of layoffs and that CBS News Radio would be shutting down as of May 2026.

The bad news continues to roll for CBS News – but this time, it's not about CBS Evening News ratings (more on that below). In a memo earlier today, Editor in Chief Bari Weiss and President/Executive Editor Tom Cibrowski announced a new round of layoffs that will reportedly affect 6% of the workforce (approximately 60 to 70 employees out of around 1,100). In addition, Weiss and Cibrowski announced that CBS News Radio will be shut down on May 22nd, a year shy of its 100th anniversary, and as it continues to be heard on approximately 700 affiliated stations.

Here's a look at the memo sent by Weiss and Cibrowski regarding the staffing cuts:

Good morning,

Today we are reducing the size of our workforce, and employees who are affected will be notified by the end of the day.

We recognize that this is a difficult time for those who will be leaving CBS News. Because these aren't just names on a list. They are talented, committed colleagues who have been critical to our success. We'll treat them all with care and respect.

It's no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it. New audiences are burgeoning in new places, and we are pressing forward with ambitious plans to grow and invest so that we can be there for them. That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.

But these are very hard choices and today is a difficult day.

This is a tough message to receive at any time, and especially in the middle of an exceptionally intense news cycle. This organization is working its heart out to deliver for our audience. We're so grateful to all of you, and we thank you for handling this difficult news with compassion.

And here's a look at Weiss and Cibrowski's memo regarding the shuttering of CBS News Radio:

Today, we informed our CBS News Radio team and approximately 700 affiliated stations that we will end the service on May 22, 2026.

Unfortunately, this decision means that all positions within the CBS News Radio team are being eliminated. We understand how difficult this news is for our staff and their colleagues, who have worked side by side with us to cover some of the most significant stories of our time.

While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one. A shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities, has made it impossible to continue the service. We are sharing this announcement now to fulfill our commitments to our radio partners and affiliates, which require advance notice of the service's conclusion.

For nearly 100 years, CBS News Radio has delivered original reporting to the nation—from Edward R. Murrow's World War II reports in London to today's daily White House updates. Our signature broadcast, "World News Roundup," remains the longest-running newscast in the country. CBS News Radio served as the foundation for everything we have built since 1927.

The coming weeks will be difficult for the team members who have worked tirelessly at CBS News Radio. We are committed to supporting these valued colleagues with care and respect as we wind down operations. They have been critical to our success and remain treasured friends and professionals. We thank them deeply for their contributions.

Thank you all for your dedication and for the compassion you show one another as we move forward.

CBS Evening News Drops Under 4M Viewers, Same as Pre-Tony Dokoupil

After a whole lot of time and money spent to sell television viewers on the idea that CBS Mornings' Tony Dokoupil was the answer to the CBS Evening News' ratings woes, Weiss might have some explaining to do. In the Nielsen numbers released earlier this week, it seems Weiss and Dokoupil have succeeded in bringing the evening news program's numbers back to the level they were pre-Dokoupil (and a serious hit in the advertiser-loving 25-54 demo). Prior to the Weiss/Dokoupil era, the Maurice DuBois & John Dickerson-anchored CBS Evening News was also averaging less than 4 million viewers, a "red alert" for the news show at the time. Will that be the case this time? Or could other factors be in play?

Average Overall Audience For the Five Days Ending on March 13th:

ABC's World News Tonight: 8.48 million viewers

NBC Nightly News: 6.51 million viewers

CBS Evening News: 3.83 million viewers

Average Overall Audience For the Five Days Ending on March 13th (25-54 Demo):

ABC's World News Tonight: 1.03 million viewers (8% increase)

NBC Nightly News: 946,000 viewers (15% decrease)

CBS Evening News: 468,000 viewers (4% decrease)

Note: CBS News "retitled" its Friday broadcast of "Evening News," so its results are not included in the tabulations.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!