CBS News Radio will cease operations in May, ending a nearly 100-year run that helped shape broadcast journalism and currently serves hundreds of stations nationwide, including local affiliate WHEE Radio.
WHEE officials said they received formal notice Friday that the network will discontinue its radio news programming effective May 22, 2026. The station, which has carried CBS content since the 1970s, is among more than 700 affiliates that rely on the network’s top-of-the-hour newscasts and other programming.
In a letter sent to affiliates, CBS said the shutdown would terminate existing agreements as of the discontinuation date. The company thanked stations for their partnership but did not outline replacement programming.
The decision marks the end of a service that dates back to 1927 and played a foundational role in the development of modern broadcast news. Early coverage included reports from Edward R. Murrow during World War II, which brought firsthand accounts of the London Blitz to American audiences.
CBS leaders cited financial pressures and changes in how audiences consume news as key reasons for the closure.
“Radio is woven into the fabric of CBS News and always will be part of our history,” said Bari Weiss, the network’s editor-in-chief. “But we were unable to find a sustainable path forward for the radio operation.”
The shutdown follows earlier cuts to CBS radio programming in 2025 as the company attempted to keep the division viable. It remains unclear how many employees will be affected, though CBS has announced broader workforce reductions in recent days.
Veteran broadcaster Dan Rather, who spent decades with CBS News, said the move reflects broader changes in the media landscape.
“Given the direction the industry has been heading, it’s not surprising, but it is still a loss,” Rather said. “Radio once stood on equal footing with television in delivering the news.”
For much of the 20th century, radio was a primary source of information for Americans, from presidential addresses by Franklin D. Roosevelt to breaking international developments. Over time, however, audiences shifted toward television, digital platforms, and, more recently, podcasts.
Industry observers say the closure underscores the continued decline of traditional radio news services.
“This is another significant piece of the media landscape disappearing,” said Michael Harrison, a publisher covering the radio industry. “It’s a loss not just for broadcasters, but for the country.”
WHEE will begin replacing CBS News Radio top of the hour coverage with ABC News, a feature already heard on the station at the bottom of the hour.
