The non-union CBS News also reportedly intends to layoff 400+ employees. This decision is just one step in a broader effort by the company to save $2 billion following its parent company, Paramount, merging with Skydance Media. Though the layoffs began on Wednesday morning, they will disproportionately impact employees in TV and other parts of the news division. According to estimates not even 100 of those jobs will be cut.
David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, had some brutal news. He did so through a staff-wide memo announcing those layoffs that morning. He expressed appreciation for the dedication and professionalism of employees during this transitional period, stating, “We are deeply grateful for your hard work, professionalism, and resilience during this period of transition.”
This move follows a number of other high-profile changes at CBS News. Claudia Milne, the head of standards, recently departed the network, and veteran journalist John Dickerson announced his departure at the end of the year. This shake-up comes just over three years after a major round of layoffs in May 2020, when about 50 staffers were laid off by then-CBS News president Susan Zirinsky.
CBS News is doing damage control, laying off staff and shuttering the Johannesburg bureau. They are cancelling their streaming series, CBS Mornings Plus and CBS Evening News Plus. Changes are expected to the CBS News Saturday morning program, which is moving to an hour-long, more magazine-style format. Staffers told us there’s been a lot of anxiety about the layoffs, with one employee saying it’s been “nerve-racking” around here.
The decision to proceed with layoffs was made prior to the appointment of Bari Weiss as the network’s editor in chief. She acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, saying, “This is just an enormously difficult day for so many people that have given years of their lives to this company, and I’m sorry, and want to support everyone in whatever way I can.”
Ellison stated that the cuts went to address redundancies that have developed across the organization. It’s a tough time ahead for CBS News. As they await news about the network’s future, employees at Public Impact are on tenterhooks.