CBS News announced on Friday that it would be laying off around 6% of its workforce, a decision confirmed by Fox News Digital. In a memo to staff, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cybrowski acknowledged the challenges facing the news industry. They emphasized the need to adapt to changing audiences and hinted at a restructuring that would involve downsizing certain newsrooms to enable growth and investment in more competitive areas.
They described the situation as particularly tough, stating, “These are very difficult choices and today is a difficult day.”
The layoffs will impact various staff members across CBS News, including those working at CBS News Radio, which is set to end operations after nearly a century, with its closure scheduled for May 22, 2026. In a second memo, Weiss and Cybrowski informed the CBS News Radio team and around 700 affiliate stations about the closure, indicating that all positions in that segment would be eliminated.
Employees impacted by the layoffs will be informed before the end of their workday, according to the memo. This comes after Paramount, the parent company, had already executed significant layoffs last fall, cutting around 1,000 jobs, including within CBS News. Earlier this year, CBS even offered buyouts to its Evening News staff, resulting in about 11 employees accepting the offer.
The network has undergone substantial shifts since David Ellison became the owner of Paramount, which includes selecting Weiss as the new leader of CBS News, a move that drew criticism from some in the liberal community due to her controversial views. Ellison also purchased her publication, The Free Press, for $150 million.
During Weiss’s time at CBS, there have been significant departures, including notable figures like Anderson Cooper and Scott McFarlane, with some staff alleging an ideological shift under her leadership. However, she has managed to maintain a few key talents, such as CBS Morning co-host Gayle King, who recently re-signed with the network despite prior rumors about her leaving.
Among Weiss’s notable actions is the appointment of Tony Dokoupil to anchor the “CBS Evening News,” with hopes to revive the program, which has struggled with frequent changes in leadership.
