CBS News Radio to Shut Down After Nearly 100 Years

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, March 20, 2026 | 12:11pm CT

CBS News Radio

CBS News will shut down its long-running radio news service, CBS News Radio, on May 22, ending a nearly century-old operation as part of broader cuts within the division.

The decision was announced Friday in a memo from CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, who said the move follows shifts in radio programming strategies and ongoing economic challenges. The closure will result in the elimination of all positions within the CBS News Radio unit, with an estimated 60 to 70 staff members affected.

CBS News Radio currently provides content to approximately 700 affiliated stations nationwide, including major outlets such as WBBM in Chicago, KNX in Los Angeles, KCBS in San Francisco and KMOX in St. Louis. Hubbard Radio's WTOP in Washington, DC, also relies on the service for its top-of-the-hour newscasts.

In the memo, Weiss and Cibrowski said, "While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one," citing "a shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities" as key factors behind the shutdown. The company said it is providing advance notice to affiliates to allow time for transition planning.

v CBS News Radio traces its roots to 1927 and played a foundational role in the development of the CBS network. The service featured historic reporting, including Edward R. Murrow's World War II broadcasts from London, and remains known for its flagship program, World News Roundup, the longest-running newscast in the country.

CBS sold its owned radio stations to Entercom in 2017 but continued operating its national news service. The upcoming shutdown will bring an end to that legacy just short of its 100th anniversary.

"We are committed to supporting these valued colleagues with care and respect as we wind down operations," Weiss and Cibrowski said in the memo, thanking staff for their contributions to covering major news events over the decades.