CBS News quietly trims staff ahead of expected mass layoffs at struggling
By Alexandra Steigrad
CBS News quietly slashed three high-level positions ahead of a major round of layoffs across parent company Paramount Global that is expected to kick off this summer, The Post has learned.
The embattled Tiffany Network — which has seen ratings plunge at its morning show and evening news program, and is being sued by President Trump for $20 billion over the controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris — fired two CBS News bureau chiefs and a senior executive on Wednesday, sources said.
Andre Rodriguez, the NYC-based North Bureau Chief, and Maryhelen Campa, the Southern Region Bureau Chief, were let go, according to the insiders.
CBS News HQ
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CBS News is quietly slashing jobs ahead of larger cuts at Paramount Global, which are expected this summer.
AP
Both had spent two decades at the company.
Chad Cross, senior vice president of the Beats & Enterprise unit, was also canned, the sources added.
He joined CBS News in 2022.
“It’s a streamlining move,” a source close to the situation said.
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The cuts are being described internally as “organizational changes to centralize the internal newsgathering process” — and “not an indication of something bigger,” the source added.
Another CBS insider said the network has “no fat left to cut.”
“If someone calls in sick, everyone feels it,” the person added.
CBS News declined to comment.
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George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount Global and CEO of CBS, is helping negotiate a legal settlement with Trump as the company’s controlling sharholder Shari Redstone is pushing for a resolution
Variety via Getty Images
The cuts come amid a report by the Wall Street Journal late Wednesday that Paramount will begin slashing jobs as early as next month in a bid as it awaits approval of the long-stalled $8 billion Skydance merger.
The mass layoffs would follow last year’s brutal bloodbath in which Paramount laid off thousands of employees as part of a $500 million cost cutting plan.
Paramount, which also operates its namesake Hollywood studio, MTV and Showtime, has faced hurdles to close the Skydance deal from President Trump and the Federal Communications Commission.
Currently, Paramount is in talks with Trump’s lawyers over his $20 billion lawsuit over “60 Minutes’” editing of its sit-down with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump’s FCC chair Brendan Carr is also looking into the matter.
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Skydance and Paramount are hoping to close its $8 billion merger, but the deal is facing hurdles from President Trump and the FCC.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
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The Journal also reported that George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount Global and CEO of CBS, is helping negotiate the settlement as the company’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone pushes for a resolution. Cheeks is expected to land a top job once Skydance closes the deal, The Post reported in March.
Trump is reportedly looking for $100 million to settle the lawsuit — much more than what Paramount is willing to fork over.
As previously reported by The Post, Paramount is hoping to settle for between $15 million and $25 million — which is what Trump accepted to recently settle lawsuits against Disney’s ABC and Meta, respectively.
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