News
Cost Cutting · Digital Strategy · Layoffs · Media Transformation
CBS News, under Paramount Skydance management, is laying off approximately 6% of its staff, totaling 60 to 70 employees, and terminating its century-old CBS News Radio service, which serves about 700 stations, as part of a strategic shift towards digital and younger audiences.
The staff reductions are a direct result of cost-cutting measures and a plan articulated by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss to make the news division more relevant to digitally savvy generations, recalibrating focus from linear TV. Executives Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski stated the news business is changing radically, necessitating these difficult choices to remain competitive and invest in new growth areas.
The decision to end the radio service stems from shifts in consumer news consumption and challenging economic realities, making its continuation impossible. The Writers Guild of America criticized the cuts, attributing them to "inept leadership" by Weiss and Paramount Skydance, and expressed concern about David Ellison's potential acquisition of other vital news outlets.
These cuts are smaller than the previously anticipated 15% reduction. Other news outlets like CNN, NBC News, and Fox News are also grappling with similar challenges, implementing layoffs and launching streaming and digital products to adapt to modern audiences.
