CBS News President Ingrid Cyprian Matthews is stepping down following a series of controversies surrounding the management of the embattled network, including accusations of discriminatory hiring and management practices.
The longtime CBS executive, who was named president last August, told staff on Wednesday he would step down as a senior adviser for 2024 presidential election coverage for the next few months before leaving the company.
“No journalist wants to be in the news, least of all me,” Cyprien Matthews said in a memo to staff obtained by The Washington Post. “But today I have news to share of my own choosing. After much consideration, I have decided that now is the right time to leave my current role at CBS News and begin a new chapter.”
CBS News parent company Paramount Global has agreed to merge with Skydance, a deal that will see the company implement $2 billion in cost-saving measures. Ahead of the deal, Paramount’s co-CEOs have said they intend to implement $500 million in cuts across the company.
“Cyprien Matthews will assume his new role in the coming weeks and we will provide more information in the coming days,” Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS news, broadcast and syndication businesses, said in the memo. A new president for CBS News was not immediately named.
Cyprian Matthews, who has worked for the company for more than 30 years, has become a target of criticism at the embattled news network, which has been hit by a series of personnel complaints from staff over unfair hiring practices, as uncovered by a Washington Post investigation in January.
Cyprian Matthews is the third executive to hold the top role at CBS News since 2021. She was promoted when the co-presidents of CBS News stepped down. Neeraj Khemrani was sacked after just two years in office. As The Washington Post revealed, the company was tainted by a series of bullying complaints from its human resources department.
