CBS News Radio, a stalwart of American broadcasting for nearly a century, will sign off the air on Friday night. The service, which has provided news programming to an estimated 700 stations across the United States since its launch in September 1927, is ending due to 'challenging economic realities,' according to CBS News.
Key Takeaways
CBS News Radio will end its nearly century-long broadcast service after May 22, 2026. The decision comes amid economic challenges and shifting media landscapes, marking the end of an era for radio news.
- CBS News Radio to sign off Friday night after nearly a century
- Service launched in September 1927, home to legends like Edward R. Murrow
- Decision cited as due to 'challenging economic realities'
- Legacy includes coverage of major historical events from WWII to 9/11
- Critics argue the move reflects broader decline in public interest journalism
The decision to shutter the radio news service was announced in March by CBS News President Tom Cibrowski and Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. In a statement at the time, they paid tribute to the historic role of CBS News Radio in covering major events worldwide since the dawn of the broadcasting era. '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,' they said.
The storied service was home to broadcast legends such as Edward R. Murrow, Robert Trout, Douglas Edwards, Charles Osgood, and Dan Rather. Steve Kathan, the longtime anchor of the CBS World News Roundup, lamented the loss: 'It's been around for a long time. Really, an American institution is what we're losing here.' Dan Rather recently told 'CBS Sunday Morning' that CBS Radio should be remembered for becoming a national institution important to the development of news other than newspapers.
As a media historian, I think the story of CBS Radio News’ rise and fall cannot be told without telling another parallel story: the story of how the U.S. stopped demanding that media serve the public interest.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.