The Politics Are Dancing

David Ellison, son of Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison, is the founder and CEO of Paramount Skydance Corporation. Amongst the subsidiaries are:

• Paramount Pictures
• CBS
• Nickelodeon
• MTV
• Comedy Central
• Showtime
• BET
• and more!

David Ellison is, by all accounts, an ally of Donald Trump. His father is unabashedly a Trump supporter. I mention this because it's a relevant motivator behind the speedy erosion of CBS News.

From Audacy.com.

In a shocking memo on Friday, CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss and CBS News president/executive editor Tom Cibrowski announced a number of layoffs and that includes the entire CBS Radio News division. That service will end on May 22, 2026 after nearly 100 years.

Here's that memo.

Today, we informed our CBS News Radio team and approximately 700 affiliated stations that we will end the service on May 22, 2026.

Unfortunately, this decision means that all positions within the CBS News Radio team are being eliminated.  We understand how difficult this news is for our staff and their colleagues, who have worked side by side with us to cover some of the most significant stories of our time.

While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one.  A shift in radio station programming strategies, coupled with challenging economic realities, has made it impossible to continue the service.  We are sharing this announcement now to fulfill our commitments to our radio partners and affiliates, which require advance notice of the service’s conclusion.

For nearly 100 years, CBS News Radio has delivered original reporting to the nation—from Edward R. Murrow’s World War II reports in London to today’s daily White House updates.  Our signature broadcast, “World News Roundup,” remains the longest-running newscast in the country.  CBS News Radio served as the foundation for everything we have built since 1927.

The coming weeks will be difficult for the team members who have worked tirelessly at CBS News Radio.  We are committed to supporting these valued colleagues with care and respect as we wind down operations.  They have been critical to our success and remain treasured friends and professionals.  We thank them deeply for their contributions.

Thank you all for your dedication and for the compassion you show one another as we move forward.

Bari and Tom

That's almost a century of integrity and solid journalism disappearing with the stroke of a pen. Bob Woodward would famously say that democracy dies in darkness. As reputable and trustworthy news institutions shutter, fascism prospers.

I'm reminded of how invaluable I find CBC Radio and what a loss that would be for Canada. Every day I listen to CBC Radio news for international and national news I can trust. We must protect this vital resource.

The politics are dancing.