CBS News is contending with falling ratings, a series of high-profile departures, a staff walkout and potential layoffs as Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss continues to reshape the network.
The latest development came this week when “CBS Evening News,” anchored by Tony Dokoupil since January, slipped below 4 million viewers for the first time since Mr. Dokoupil took over from Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson on Jan. 5. According to Nielsen data cited by Variety, the program averaged 3.83 million viewers for the week of March 9, down from an early peak of 4.6 million and well behind rivals ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir,” which drew 8.48 million viewers that same week, and NBC’s “Nightly News with Tom Llamas,” which averaged 6.51 million.
Quarter-to-date, “CBS Evening News” has shed 15% of its viewership in the key Adults 25-54 demographic compared with the same period a year ago. By contrast, NBC’s “Nightly News” is up 8% in that demo, and ABC’s “World News Tonight” is off only 4%. CBS News executives have attributed part of the decline to the disruption caused by the recent shift to daylight saving time, and note that the program is up 7% in total viewers compared with the current season’s average.
On Tuesday, roughly 60 unionized staffers at CBS News 24/7 staged a 24-hour walkout after contract negotiations with management broke down over pay increases, defined schedules and severance packages. The Writers Guild of America East, which represents the unit, said in a statement that management “continues to offer us worse terms than in our last contracts.”
The walkout came amid broader personnel changes since Ms. Weiss — an opinion journalist and founder of The Free Press, which Paramount acquired for $150 million — took the editor-in-chief role last October. She had no prior television news experience. Multiple staffers have since departed, including “60 Minutes” correspondent Anderson Cooper, veteran “CBS Evening News” co-anchor John Dickerson and justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane, who announced his exit March 9. “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News President Wendy McMahon also resigned, with Mr. Owens citing corporate interference in his ability to run an independent newsroom.
CBS News is also weighing another round of layoffs that could affect at least 15% of its staff, according to Variety, with a timeline potentially running from March through May. Paramount has already cut roughly 1,000 jobs across the company since its merger with Skydance. About 11 producers tied to “CBS Evening News” accepted buyout packages earlier this year.
Mr. Dokoupil and Ms. Weiss have both faced criticism for appearing to appease President Trump and his administration, according to reports. Mr. Dokoupil also drew criticism for his coverage of the Jan. 6 attacks and for booking his own mother as a guest on the program.
Paramount is pursuing a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company. The potential merger has complicated labor negotiations; CBS News has four unionized bargaining units, while CNN is not unionized. Mr. Dokoupil is now the fourth anchor to helm “CBS Evening News” since 2019 and the seventh since Dan Rather’s departure in 2005.
This article was constructed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published by a member of The Washington Times’ AI News Desk team. The contents of this report are based solely on The Washington Times’ original reporting, wire services, and/or other sources cited within the report. For more information, please read our AI policy AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
