CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss just made headlines again for axing a huge chunk of the network’s prior star journalists.
The network announced on Friday that it’s shuttering CBS News Radio and laying off approximately six percent of its workforce, according to CNN’s Brian Stelter.
“[I]t represents the end of an era, since CBS News Radio has a 99-year history delivering up-to-the-minute headlines over the airwaves,” Stelter lamented in his report.
In a memo to staff, Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski attributed the “necessary decision” to lay off employees to factors beyond the network’s control.
“While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one,” they wrote. “A shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities, has made it impossible to continue the service.”
A second memo from Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski says CBS News Radio is shutting down. Here’s the memo:
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…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 20, 2026
According to a recording reviewed by The New York Times, Weiss reiterated some of this during a newsroom-wide conference call on Friday.
“Certain parts of this newsroom need to get smaller in order for us to make room for the things that we need to build to remain competitive in the future,” she said.
In their memo, Weiss and Cibrowski also vowed to take care of outgoing employees.
“We are committed to supporting these valued colleagues with care and respect as we wind down operations,” the two wrote. “They have been critical to our success and remain treasured friends and professionals. We thank them deeply for their contributions.”
CBS Radio will officially go off air on May 22, meaning stations that air the network have approximately two months to find a replacement.
According to sources who spoke with the New York Post, some of the outgoing journalists include correspondents Elaine Quijano, Omar Villafranca, Nidia Cavazos, Andres Gutierrez, Dave Malkoff, Karen Hua, Nick Kurtz, David Schechter, and Hunter Woodall.
I’m among those laid off by CBS News today. This is a tough business, but I’m proud of the work these last few years covering campaigns, elections and Congress. Will be looking for what’s next, email is [email protected]
— Hunter Woodall (@HunterMw) March 20, 2026
Weiss has been in charge at CBS since October, when CBS’s parent company, David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, bought The Free Press (which she founded) and installed her as editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Three months after she took over, longtime network correspondent Tony Dokoupil, who’s now the anchor of “CBS Evening News,” delivered a stunning mea culpa introducing the new CBS News to America.
“A lot has changed since the first person sat in the ‘Evening News’ chair,” he began. “For me, the biggest difference is this: people don’t trust us like they used to. And it’s not just us. It’s all legacy media.”
Dokoupil continued by revealing how his own neighbors and friends have all said the same thing — that it’s time for a change.
“Sometimes they want to talk to me about our coverage of NAFTA or the Iraq War,” he explained. “Other times, it’s about Hillary Clinton’s emails or Russiagate. Or more recently, COVID lockdowns, Hunter Biden’s laptop or the president’s fitness for office.”
“I know this because, at certain points, I have been you. I have felt that way, too. I have felt like what I was seeing and hearing on the news didn’t reflect what I was seeing and hearing in my own life. And that the most urgent questions simply weren’t being asked,” he continued.
He concluded by vowing change.
“So here’s my promise to you as long as I sit in this chair: you come first,” he said. “Not advertisers. Not politicians. Not corporate interests. And, yes, that does include the corporate owners of CBS. I report for you.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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