CBS News axes ‘Evening News Plus’ and ‘Mornings Plus’ following Paramount downsizing

CBS News has canceled multiple programs and closed an international bureau as part of broader layoffs at parent company Paramount Global.

Approximately 100 jobs across the CBS News division are affected by the layoffs, which were announced Wednesday. The Saturday edition of “CBS Mornings” will be restructured and merged into weekday operations. Anchors Dana Jacobson and Michelle Miller, along with executive producer Brian Applegate, are expected to depart.

The Johannesburg bureau in South Africa will be shut down. Oversight of the region will transfer to the CBS News London bureau. Foreign correspondent Deb Patta, known for her reporting from the Middle East, will also leave the organization.

CBS News is also eliminating its streaming-only shows “CBS Mornings Plus” and “CBS Evening News Plus.”

The shows served as digital extensions of the network’s morning and evening news programs. Anchors Tony Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz hosted the morning program, while John Dickerson led the evening version. Dickerson announced earlier this week that he would leave CBS News at the end of the year.

The company’s unit focused on race and culture reporting will be scaled back, according to sources.

The changes follow the acquisition of Paramount by Skydance Media’s Ellison family in August. Cost reductions had been expected under the new ownership, even as investments were made in content such as UFC rights and the digital outlet The Free Press.

Paramount CEO David Ellison told staff the restructuring was intended to align operations with “evolving priorities” and focus on long-term growth.

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“CBS Saturday Morning” had seen steady ratings, including a strong start to the current season, according to Nielsen data. Despite its performance, the show has been reduced to a skeleton staff, and weekday producers will now oversee production.

The layoffs were reportedly in planning stages prior to the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor in chief. Weiss joined the division alongside executive Tom Cibrowski earlier this fall.

Wendy McMahon, the executive behind “CBS Mornings Plus,” left CBS News earlier in the year.

With the closure of the Johannesburg bureau, CBS News joins a growing list of broadcast organizations that have reduced foreign coverage in recent years due to budget constraints and shifting audience behavior. Streaming news services have also faced monetization challenges despite investment, with smaller audiences compared to linear television.