HR Probe Led To Firing of CBS News President

CBS News president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews – who was accused of sidelining white journalists and blocking an acclaimed correspondent’s reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop – is stepping down at the network, the company said Wednesday.

The NY Post reports the controversial news boss, who was named president just last August, is exiting after she made headlines in February over the firing of Catherine Herridge, a respected senior investigative reporter who had been doggedly covering the Hunter Biden laptop story for the network.

At the time, media insiders speculated that Herridge’s exit was linked to her reporting that President Biden may have kept evidence that he had foreign business dealings while in office.

Another reason, according to sources, may have been Herridge’s role in a 2021 human-resources probe of Ciprian-Matthews over favoritism and discriminatory hiring and management practices.

Ciprian-Matthews had racked up HR complaints from staffers over unfair hiring and management practices, particularly against white female journalists. Among those who complained was Herridge, according to sources.

Jeff Zucker

The shakeup comes during a tumultuous period for the network. CBS News parent company Paramount Global recently agreed to merge with Skydance, a deal which will enact a $2 billion cost cutting blitz. Ahead of the deal, Paramount’s co-CEOs are poised to slash $500 million from the budget. 

Still, one insider at the network said that Ciprian-Matthews’ exit comes under the “guise of cuts,” after a series of public embarrassments over her dealings with Herridge came to light.

Sources tell Showbiz 411.com that Wednersday’s announcement Ingrid Cipirian-Matthews is gone probably means one thing: the return of Jeff Zucker.

Zucker — who ran CNN and NBC and desperately wants to return to power — is partners in real life Jeff Shell, former NBC Universal chairman. Shell is also now partnered with Zucker in Red Bird Capital, a media capital firm that’s been trying to buy something big.

Shell is working hand in hand with David Ellison of Skydance. They just bought CBS in their Paramount deal. The deal won’t close until next year. According tro the report Ellison has purchased Paramount. And Shell is advising him. First project: give CBS some pizzazz with Zucker.