CBS News Layoffs, NBC Tech Hire & Trump Lawsuit Updates – Media News Roundup
CBS News initiated a fresh round of layoffs Friday, impacting approximately 6% of its staff, as editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski continue a restructuring effort at the news division. The cuts come just six months after a previous round of layoffs in October, and include the complete shuttering of CBS News Radio after nearly a century of service, effective May 22, 2026.
Weiss and Cibrowski informed employees of the decision Friday morning, acknowledging the difficulty of the cuts in a memo to staff. “It’s no secret that the news business is changing radically, and that we demand to change along with it,” the executives wrote, adding that the changes were necessary to “grow and invest” in new areas and remain competitive.
The cuts at CBS News Radio will eliminate programming for approximately 700 affiliated stations nationwide, according to reports. The October layoffs had already resulted in changes to CBS Saturday Morning, with the departure of longtime co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, as well as the present’s executive producer, Brian Applegate.
The restructuring at CBS News follows Weiss’s arrival as editor-in-chief and reflects her stated goal of revitalizing the network’s morning and evening news programs, whereas simultaneously expanding its digital presence.
Elsewhere in the media landscape, NBC News announced a partnership with independent tech journalist Joanna Stern, who will serve as chief tech analyst and contributing correspondent across all NBC News platforms. Stern will also launch her own digital platform, “New Things with Joanna Stern,” featuring newsletters, video content, and live events.
Former NBC News chairman Andy Lack has contributed $7 million to Deep South Today, a nonprofit journalism organization supporting independent newsrooms in Louisiana and Mississippi. Lack co-founded Deep South Today and currently serves as its executive chair.
CNN secured a courtroom victory this week, as a federal appeals court in Atlanta declined to hear former President Donald Trump’s case challenging the network’s leverage of the term “Big Lie” in relation to the 2020 election. The BBC is currently seeking to dismiss a similar $10 billion lawsuit brought by Trump in a Florida court, arguing the documentary at the center of the suit aired primarily in the U.K. And caused no damage to the former president’s reputation in the U.S.
Debra OConnell, head of ABC News, has been named chairman of Disney Entertainment Television by Dana Walden, president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company. OConnell will continue to oversee ABC News and ABC-owned television stations, while also taking on responsibility for ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content, and creative for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation.
NBC News’ Richard Engel will receive the David Kaplan Award from the Overseas Press Club of America for his reporting from Israel and Iran. The award will be presented at the organization’s annual awards dinner on April 20 in New York City.
Fox News’ Shannon Bream’s book, “Nothing is Impossible with God,” debuted at the top of the New York Times bestseller list in the Advice, How-to & Misc. Category.