CBS News Radio Shuts Down After 99 Years

The legacy news organization is laying off 6% of its workforce as it shifts focus to digital and streaming platforms.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 9:44pm

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CBS News is shutting down its long-running CBS News Radio division, marking a significant shift for the legacy news organization as it adapts to a rapidly changing media landscape. The cuts are expected to affect between 60 and 70 employees, and the radio division will cease operations on May 22, ending a service that has been a cornerstone of American broadcasting since 1927.

Why it matters

The shutdown of CBS News Radio marks the end of an era for one of the most influential platforms in broadcast journalism. For CBS News, the restructuring signals a broader effort to remain competitive as the industry continues to evolve, even as it parts with a defining piece of its history.

The details

As part of the restructuring, CBS News is laying off approximately 6% of its workforce. In a memo to staff, editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, emphasizing the impact on employees. The radio division has historically played a major role in journalism, including wartime reporting by Edward R. Murrow during World War II and coverage that helped challenge Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare era. More recently, it has provided news content to roughly 700 affiliate stations nationwide.

  • CBS News Radio will cease operations on May 22, 2026.

The players

Bari Weiss

Editor-in-chief of CBS News.

Tom Cibrowski

President of CBS News.

David Ellison

CEO of Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News.

William S. Paley

Founder of CBS News Radio in 1927.

Edward R. Murrow

Renowned CBS News journalist who provided wartime reporting during World War II.

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What’s next

CBS News Radio will cease operations on May 22, 2026, marking the end of the radio division's nearly century-long history.

The takeaway

The shutdown of CBS News Radio is a significant shift for the legacy news organization as it adapts to a rapidly changing media landscape, prioritizing digital and streaming platforms over traditional radio. This restructuring signals CBS News' broader efforts to remain competitive, even as it parts with a defining piece of its history.