Audacy’s all-news radio stations say they will continue operating without disruption following the shutdown of CBS News Radio Network, assuring listeners that only the national newscasts—not the stations themselves—are being replaced.
The LA Times reports stations including KNX News emphasized the change in public messaging, telling audiences they are “not going anywhere” despite the loss of long-running CBS network programming. KNX, which had carried CBS content since 1936, aired an extended segment explaining the transition.
Audacy’s all-news outlets—such as WBBM Newsradio, KCBS Radio, and WWJ Newsradio—reach 9 million monthly listeners and collectively provided about one-third of CBS News Radio’s U.S. distribution, more than any other station group.
Educating both listeners and advertisers will be a key challenge, given the decades-long association between these stations and CBS. The all-news format itself was launched by CBS in the late 1960s, and signature elements like “The Osgood Files,” hosted by Charles Osgood, and familiar CBS sounders have long been part of the listening experience.
Potential replacements include ABC News Audio, the largest radio news network in the country with roughly 1,500 affiliates. Audacy stations already use some ABC content, though in markets like Los Angeles, iHeartMedia's KFI-AM currently carries ABC’s hourly newscasts, with exclusivity determined locally.
Another option is Fox News Radio, which provides hourly updates and correspondent reports to several hundred stations. While its straight news product could fit some formats, it is more likely to be adopted by conservative talk outlets currently affiliated with CBS.