CBS News to shutter radio network after 99 years and cut 6 percent of staff in latest controversial move by Bari Weiss – UK Times

CBS News is set to start major layoffs Friday and will shut down the nearly 100-year-old CBS News Radio later this year as new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, under Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, reshapes the network.

The Tiffany Network’s news division could cut its workforce by as much as 6 percent, people familiar with the matter told the New York Post and Variety.

An insider told The Post that the current round of layoffs is expected to affect approximately 60 employees. Earlier reports suggested that the network might cut up to 15 percent of its total workforce.

A CBS News spokesperson did not address the specifics of the layoffs when contacted by The Independent. They did, however, provide the internal memo sent to employees Friday from Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski.

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

Weiss and Cibrowski also sent out another memo to CBS News Radio staffers Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter, that reads, “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,” it continues.

As the memo explained, CBS News Radio has been bringing original reporting to Americans since 1927. Its early days included historic reports like Edward R. Murrow’s World War II coverage from London, and it continues to this day with daily updates from the White House. Its main program, “World News Roundup,” is the country’s longest-running newscast.

“While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one,” executives said in the memo. “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.”

Weiss, 41, became CBS News’ editor-in-chief after Paramount acquired her media startup, The Free Press, in October 2025.

The current round of cuts comes as Weiss pushes to make CBS News more appealing to younger, digitally focused viewers. As part of her plan, she’s moving the network away from its traditional focus on regular TV broadcasts and is putting more attention and resources into digital and streaming platforms.

“It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it,” Friday’s memo reads. “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.”

Before these latest layoffs, 11 staffers from CBS Evening News, about a quarter of the show’s team, had already accepted voluntary buyouts last month, according to The Post. These offers were first announced back in January, when CBS management called them an “extraordinary chance” for employees to leave ahead of company-wide reductions.

Weiss’ time in charge has also stirred some controversy beyond staffing changes, including the cancellation of a high-profile interview with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani reportedly withdrew from a planned interview with CBS News, due to concerns over the network’s coverage. He had been scheduled to meet with “CBS Sunday Morning’s” Robert Costa but hesitated due to critical reporting from The Free Press, the pro-Israel digital outlet run by Weiss. Mamdani had condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as a “catastrophic escalation” of an illegal war, criticizing the bombing of cities and civilian casualties while urging Americans to focus on domestic issues.

CBS News contributor Masih Alinejad, who survived an assassination attempt by Iranian agents in 2025, rebuked Mamdani for ignoring real threats to Iranian dissidents in New York and misdirecting anger toward innocent Iranians. Weiss amplified Alinejad’s criticism on X, sharing the clip of Alinejad’s and adding the “fire” emoji, which Vanity Fair reported as the “nail in the coffin,” prompting Mamdani to back out of the interview.

Earlier this week, it was reported that CBS Evening News ratings had fallen below four million viewers for the first time since Tony Dokoupil became host following Weiss’ network overhaul.