CBS News is laying off 6% of its staff as the network responds to shifting winds in the media industry, network leaders Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski told staffers in a memo on Friday.
“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,” Weiss and Cibrowski — the network’s editor in chief and president, respectively — told staffers in a memo obtained by TheWrap. “They are talented, committed colleagues who have been critical to our success. We’ll treat them all with care and respect.”
Affected employees will be notified by the end of the day on Friday. Reports had indicated CBS News could cut up to 15% of its staff of around 1,100 people, though Friday’s cuts represent a smaller impact on its workforce. The network previously laid off roughly 100 staffers in October, and staffers on Thursday had bracedfor another slashing on Friday.
Weiss and Cibrowski said the layoffs were necessary to address the rapid changes affecting the media industry, which has seen cuts across broadcast, cable, print and digital publications as audiences become more fragmented, streaming platforms rise and AI platforms impact search traffic.
“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,” the two wrote. “That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.”
It was unclear which CBS News divisions were hit by the cuts, though which teams end up affected would signal Weiss’ priorities as she continues to reshape the network. Weiss joined as the network’s editor in chief in October after David Ellison, the CEO of parent company Paramount, purchased her anti-woke site, The Free Press.
Since then, she has told staffshe wanted to make the network “fit for purpose in the 21st century” as audiences spend more time on streaming platforms, though staffers who’ve left have complained that her vision has included a more politicized editorial turn. Ellison has said he wants the network to appeal to an audience that would “define themselves at center-left to center-right.”
Since her appointment, some top CBS News executives, correspondents and producers have already opted to jump ship. “60 Minutes” correspondent Anderson Cooper decided not to renew his contract, while justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane and “CBS Mornings” executive producer Shawna Thomas both revealed plans to leave this month. At least 11 people at “CBS Evening News” also took voluntary buyouts as anchor Tony Dokoupil took over the newscast in December, an era that’s sparked criticism over his content and weak ratings.
Still, Weiss has said she did not want to focus solely on ratings in her quest to reshape the network for a digital-first future, seeking to reimagine divisions like the streaming service CBS News 24/7 to prioritize an online viewer. (Staffers in that division are currently negotiating a new union contract after staging a 24-hour walkout this week.)
“We are competing for the attention of anyone in front of a screen,” she told staffers during the January town hall. “So winning isn’t about ratings. It’s about making things that people can’t live without.”
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