CBS News Shuts 100-Year-Old Radio, Cuts 6% of Workforce Amid Restructuring

CBS News will shut down its nearly 100-year-old CBS News Radio network on May 22 as part of a significant restructuring, according to multiple sources including Fortune and Deadline. The closure affects a service that currently syndicates content to roughly 700 stations nationwide and includes historic broadcasts such as Edward R. Murrow’s World News Roundup. This marks a major shift away from traditional radio news amid the evolving media landscape.

The network plans to reduce its workforce by about 6%, equating to roughly 60 employees, as reported by Techdirt and Zero Hedge. These layoffs come under the leadership of CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, who are steering the outlet through challenges posed by economic conditions and digital disruption. The cuts follow previous downsizing efforts within the news division.

CBS News Radio’s closure reflects broader strategic changes at CBS following its acquisition by billionaire Larry Ellison, who heads the newly formed Paramount Skydance venture. Raw Story and The Guardian note that Weiss, identified as a conservative ally, has been a driving force behind these decisions, signaling a reorientation in the network’s editorial direction and operational structure. This includes the departure of key on-air talent from the radio division.

The shutting down of CBS News Radio ends a century-long legacy of broadcast journalism that helped define American news media throughout the 20th century. Industry observers will be closely monitoring how CBS News intends to integrate its remaining news operations across digital platforms and what new content strategies will emerge as it tries to adapt to changing listener habits.

Going forward, the impact of these cuts on CBS’s competitive position in the news landscape remains to be seen, particularly in how the company balances cost reductions with maintaining editorial quality. The dismantling of CBS News Radio may also accelerate similar moves by other legacy broadcasters confronting digital transformation pressures in an evolving media economy.