CBS Radio Network Decision: "Strategically Flawed"

CBS News Radio will shut down on May 22, eliminating all roles in the unit as parent company Paramount Skydance restructures its operations under CEO David Ellison, in a move executives say is driven by shifting industry dynamics and financial pressure.

The closure, announced Friday by network boss Bari Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, comes alongside layoffs affecting roughly 6% of staff—about 60 to 70 employees. Leadership told workers that “a shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities,” made continuing the service untenable, calling the decision necessary but difficult.

The shutdown ends a broadcast institution that dates back to 1927 and helped define modern journalism, featuring figures like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite and producing programs such as World News Roundup. Executives emphasized the unit’s legacy and said employees would be treated “with care and respect” during the wind-down.

Harvey Nagler

Critics argue the decision is premature and strategically flawed. Former CBS News Radio vice president Harvey Nagler said the network still reached hundreds of affiliates and millions of listeners weekly, calling the move “a profound strategic failure” and warning that “you can’t cut your way to growth.” He added that the company is missing a major opportunity to use radio to promote its broader media assets.

The NY Post reports other industry leaders echoed those concerns. Craig Swagler, now head of Baltimore Public Media, said the shutdown reduces access to reliable information nationwide at a time when independent voices are shrinking. He highlighted the historic significance of World News Roundup, tracing its origins to Murrow’s live reporting during events like the Nazi annexation of Austria—coverage that helped establish the foundation of modern broadcast journalism.

Despite its legacy, insiders say the radio unit was operating at roughly break-even financially—neither losing nor generating significant profit. While such units are often restructured rather than eliminated, sources noted that union constraints and broader corporate priorities made a full shutdown a cleaner option operationally.

Iconic Anchors: Edward R Murrow, Walter Cronkite

Some of the network’s Friday casualties include correspondent Elaine Quijano, who was also weekend morning anchor for New York; Dallas-based correspondent Omar Villafranca; Los Angeles-based correspondent Nidia Cavazos; Las Vegas-based correspondent Andres Gutierrez; national correspondent Dave Malkoff; and Karen Hua, a national reporter in Houston.

They join Washington, DC-based reporter Nick Kurtz and political reporter Hunter Woodall, who announced that they were let go on X. The DC bureau lost about five staff total, reports The NY Post citing a source with knowledge of the matter.

The network said Friday that it was laying of 6% of its workforce and completely shuttering CBS Radio, ending the storied division’s 100-year run. A source estimated that the layoffs translated into about 60 to 70 job cuts.

Sources expect more layoffs to come as contracts for top talent lapse. Names that could be shown the door include “60 Minutes” correspondents Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Bill Whitaker is expected to retire at the end of the season.

Some within the company have reacted with anger, criticizing leadership for investing heavily in other ventures—including sports rights and digital media—while abandoning a foundational part of broadcast history. For them, the closure represents more than a business decision; it marks the end of an era and a significant loss for American journalism.