“I feel like a step back”


CBS News has dissolved its Race and Culture unit as part of broader layoffs at parent company Paramount Skydance on October 28, 2025. The restructuring began in August 2025 following the merger between Paramount and Skydance Media.

According to Paramount's website, CBS News' Race and Culture unit was created in 2020 and headed by executive producer Alvin Patrick, who will remain on staff despite the unit's dissolution.

During an interview at the time with supremeseries of questions and answers Eye onPatrick said the unit acted as “both an incubator and a facilitator” to ensure stories had the right context and tone. He described the unit's work as providing “an extra pair of eyes on stories that may need guidance on context, tone and intent for each show and platform in the division.”

“I'm looking at scripts and screenings, and pointing out the different things that we need to pay attention to, so that we're not stereotypical, so that we give the right context, so that the audience walks away with an informed and truthful understanding of a particular issue… The goal is really to create a level of consistency as we report on race and culture, in a timely, informative, dynamic and accurate way.”

CBS News' decision to disband its Race and Culture unit drew divided responses from netizens on X, with one user adding that the news felt like “a step backwards.”

“It seems like a step backwards. Cultural representation and reporting is important, especially in shaping public understanding.”

@PopCrave @TheWrap Feels like a step back. Cultural representation and reporting are important, especially in shaping public understanding.

Several netizens echoed similar sentiments, claiming that the media was becoming “more daring” since donald trump took office for the second time earlier this year.

@PopCrave @TheWrap Of course they did…since Trump, the media has become more bold in dismissing anything that actually challenges racism. Sad but not surprising.

@PopCrave @TheWrap Wow, that's a big change. Ask yourself how this will affect newsroom diversity initiatives and coverage in the future.

@PopCrave @TheWrap We are really going backwards as a country all because of people's incompetence and racism

@PopCrave @TheWrap another sign of the times, diversity initiatives are being scrapped left and right

Meanwhile, others were happy with the break-up of the unit, calling it “pointless”.

@PopCrave @TheWrap Hiring and promoting people based on merit is the greatest equalizer.

@PopCrave @TheWrap Good. It was useless.

Some stated that they are not surprised by the sudden change in the current political climate.

@PopCrave @TheWrap Diversity was trending when it was profitable. Now the market is changing, and everyone is pretending it was never about money in the first place. I can't say I'm surprised 🙄

@PopCrave @TheWrap Further proof that the “liberal media” concept has always been a lie. It's never been liberal, it's just a different flavor of the same right-wing garbage

Exploring other CBS News programs affected by the layoffs

Rumors of a shaken at CBS News came after Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison named former New York Times writer Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of the news network earlier this month. The rumors were further fueled after Weiss sent out a memo from the company asking staff to detail how their work hours were spent a few days after taking over.

On October 28, 2025, CBS News announced major layoffswhich resulted in the cancellation of certain programs and the shutdown of units. According to The Wrap, an estimated 100 CBS News employees and approximately 1,000 Paramount Skydance employees lost their jobs on October 28. David Ellison addressed the layoffs in an internal memo to staff that day, saying:

“In some areas, we are addressing layoffs that have occurred across the organization. In others, we are eliminating roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities and the new structure designed to strengthen our focus on growth. Ultimately, these steps are necessary to position Paramount for long-term success.”

According to The Guardian, new CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss told staff during an editorial call that Wednesday would be a “hugely difficult day” at CBS News, adding:

“This is just an enormously difficult day for so many people who have given years of their lives to this company, and I'm sorry and want to support everyone in any way I can.”

CBS News' South Africa division in Johannesburg will close as part of the layoffs. Meanwhile, that of the network CBS Mornings Plus i CBS Evening News Plusthe streaming counterparts of its morning and evening shows, were canceled.

The network's Saturday morning show, CBS Saturday Morning, will undergo a format change, with the dismissal of the show's hosts, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, as well as executive producer Brian Applegate.

Some details on what was cut in the CBS News layoffs: The network has canceled the streaming program “CBS Mornings Plus” and the program “CBS Evenings Plus.” In addition, the network's Johannesburg office is closing. And the Saturday morning show is undergoing a format change…

In July 2025, CBS announced their decision to cancel it The Late Show with Stephen Colbert after three decades, weeks before the merger between Paramount and Skydance Media. According to the BBC, CBS stated that the cancellation was “purely a financial decision” and was “in no way related to the performance, content or other matters of the show”.