CBS News is pulling the plug on CBS News Radio, shutting down its century-old national radio newscast service and wiping out the dedicated radio team. The service is scheduled to stop on May 22, and the cuts are part of a broader round of newsroom layoffs under editor in chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski. Executives cited shifting station programming strategies and tough economic realities for a decision that ends an operation dating back to the 1920s.
In memos reviewed by The Washington Post, Weiss and Cibrowski wrote, "Today, we informed our CBS News Radio team and approximately 700 affiliated stations that we will end the service on May 22, 2026," adding that "all positions within the CBS News Radio team are being eliminated." They described the cuts as painful but framed them as steps meant to "make room for the things we must build to remain competitive."
As reported by The Associated Press, CBS News Radio traces its roots to September 1927 and helped launch the network’s national-news operation, with broadcasters such as Edward R. Murrow filing wartime reports. The AP notes that the service has provided top-of-the-hour newscasts and other content to an estimated 700 stations nationwide, a footprint the company said it can no longer sustain under current station programming trends and economic pressures.
Axios reported that the reductions amount to roughly 6% of CBS News’ newsroom, or about 66 positions, and that the radio cuts are part of a second round of layoffs under the outlet’s new ownership and leadership. The move arrives amid labor tensions and ongoing restructuring as the company shifts resources toward streaming and digital initiatives.
What this means for stations
Local stations that have relied on CBS News Radio’s hourly rollups will now need replacement national feeds or expanded local newsgathering to cover the gap. CBS had a multi-year affiliation agreement with Audacy covering 27 major-market stations, including WCBS 880 in New York, KNX in Los Angeles and KCBS in San Francisco, which may ease transitions for some big-market outlets, RadioInsight reported. Smaller affiliates and independent stations could face a scramble to fill top-of-hour minutes or strike new syndication deals.
End of an era
Media observers say the shutdown highlights how consolidation and changing listener habits have hollowed parts of legacy radio news even as companies chase streaming and podcast audiences. As The Associated Press observed, the move cuts off a near-century-old thread of American broadcast history that once defined how millions tuned in to national news on the radio.
