CBS News leaders Tom Cibrowski and Bari Weiss. Photo credit: Michele Crowe/CBS CBS News is undergoing layoffs, as editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski seek to remake the broadcast news division.
The executives announced the cuts Friday morning, telling staff that it is a “difficult day” at the company. Around 6% of staff, representing dozens of employees, will be impacted.
It’s the second round of layoffs in six months at CBS News (a round in October canceled some streaming shows and overhauled the Saturday morning show), but these are the first in pursuit of Weiss’ new strategy, which she outlined to staff earlier this year.
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Weiss and Cibrowski alluded to the strategic rationale in their note.
“It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it,” they wrote. “New audiences are burgeoning in new places, and we are pressing forward with ambitious plans to grow and invest so that we can be there for them. That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.”
Weiss wants to return CBS’ morning and evening shows to a place of ratings growth, while investing heavily in digital products to meet consumers where they are increasingly spending their time with news and talk content.
The contours of that strategy remain somewhat opaque, though CBS News is bringing on a variety of contributors with various points of view, and Weiss has been seeking journalists that put themselves at the center of the story as much as possible to emphasize that they are where the news is happening. On streaming, the company has been seeking new voices to match the video podcast economy.
Read Weiss and Cibrowski’s note, below.
Good morning,
Today we are reducing the size of our workforce, and employees who are affected will be notified by the end of the day.
We recognize that this is a difficult time for those who will be leaving CBS News. Because these aren’t just names on a list. They are talented, committed colleagues who have been critical to our success. We’ll treat them all with care and respect.
It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we need to change along with it. New audiences are burgeoning in new places, and we are pressing forward with ambitious plans to grow and invest so that we can be there for them. That means some parts of our newsroom must get smaller to make room for the things we must build to remain competitive.
But these are very hard choices and today is a difficult day.
This is a tough message to receive at any time, and especially in the middle of an exceptionally intense news cycle. This organization is working its heart out to deliver for our audience. We’re so grateful to all of you, and we thank you for handling this difficult news with compassion.
Bari and Tom
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