CBS News Cancels “CBS Saturday Morning” Amid Layoffs

The first major loss resulting from significant budget cuts at CBS News is “CBS Saturday Morning,” according to reports. The 28-year-old show, which broadcasts nationally from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET on Saturdays, is being discontinued by Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and network President Tom Cybrowski, as noted by insiders.

Co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, along with executive producer Brian Applegate, have been notified of the cancellation and are in the process of transitioning away from the program. Details about when the last episode will air remain unclear, including whether it will still run this Saturday. There’s also uncertainty about the possibility of revamping the show.

A source close to the situation indicated that the new leadership decided the show was “too expensive” to maintain. Ratings had declined, with the show attracting 10% fewer viewers this season, totaling around 1.9 million, and a drop of 20% in the crucial 25-to-54 age demographic, bringing it down to about 346,000 viewers.

Alongside “CBS Saturday Morning,” CBS will also discontinue “CBS Mornings Plus,” co-hosted by Adriana Diaz and Tony Dokoupil, who is seen as a top contender for the anchor position at “CBS Evening News.” Reports suggest that this Friday will mark the show’s final airing. This program, which was streamed on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., was initiated by former CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who stepped down earlier in the year.

Furthermore, CBS intends to phase out CBS Evening News Plus, a streaming variant of the evening broadcast, especially since co-anchor John Dickerson recently announced his departure from the network at the year’s end, with his co-host Maurice Dubois also expected to leave soon.

A representative for CBS News chose not to comment on these changes.

These adjustments come as CBS’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, implements about 1,000 job cuts, with plans to ultimately reduce 2,000 roles as CEO David Ellison aims for $2 billion in savings.

Under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, the CBS News staff is bracing for significant changes. The decision follows Weiss’s recent sale of her moderate news outlet, The Free Press, to Paramount Skydance for $150 million.

Both she and President Tom Cybrowski are actively seeking to restructure the network by trimming expensive programming and correspondents to bring in fresh talent.

Recent discussions have also focused on revamping popular programs like “60 Minutes” to enhance CBS News’ investigative journalism. Reports suggest that insiders believe “60 Minutes” leans too far left, a sentiment voiced by Ellison regarding the network’s necessary realignment.