Overview
- About 11 non‑union CBS Evening News staffers accepted voluntary buyouts, including at least six of roughly 20 producers, according to multiple reports.
- Producer Alicia Hastey said in a farewell note that stories face “shifting ideological expectations” that pressure self‑censorship, a message shared publicly by a New York Times reporter.
- CBS has not commented on the departures, and several outlets report broader layoffs could begin as soon as March.
- The buyouts followed a January town hall where editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss outlined a new direction and told employees they were free to depart, with HR offering an “extraordinary” one‑time package to non‑union staff.
- The shake‑up comes as ratings lag and recent editorial controversies—including a delayed 60 Minutes El Salvador segment and debate over contributor Peter Attia—have intensified internal dissent.