Media veterans outraged as Bari Weiss shuts 100-year-old CBS News Radio: Its disgusting

And that’s the way it is — good night, and good luck.CBS News Radio — the century-old home of legendary journalists Walter Cronkite and Edward R.Murrow — is shutting down as network boss Bari Weiss continues to reshape the struggling news network, cutting 6% of its workforce in a Friday bloodbath that claimed 60 to 70 jobs.Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowksi said Friday that CBS Radio will shut down May 22 with all roles in the unit eliminated — a move that was driven by industry shifts and financial pressure from David Ellison, CEO of CBS parent Paramount Skydance.The duo told employees that “a shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities, has made it impossible to continue the service,” while acknowledging “this was a necessary decision” but “not an easy one.”They emphasized the legacy of the unit, noting CBS News Radio has operated since 1927 — from Edward R.

Murrow’s World War II reports to the long-running “World News Roundup” — and said staff would be treated “with care and respect” as the company winds down operations.Harvey Nagler, who spent 18 years at CBS News including an 18-year stint as CBS News VP of radio before retiring in 2016, said the shuttering of CBS News Radio was premature.“At some point in time closing it was going to be inevitable, but I don’t believe now was the time to do it,” he said, adding that CBS Radio still had 700 radio stations and 23 million listeners a week.“Those in a corporate positions were not aware of the clout and the reach of CBS News Radio,” Nagler said, noting that CBS is trying to “rebrand itself” and that it is missing a “massive marketing opportunity” to promote its shows, news stories and movies produced by corporate parent Paramount.“It’s a profound strategic failure.It’s unfortunate on that basis alone,” he said.

“You can’t cut your way to growth.”Indeed, industry insiders are fuming over the d...