The familiar “ding” ringing in the top of every hour on KTLO FM 97.9 will soon be a sound of the past following news that CBS Radio will be shuttering its service after 100 years on the air.
The announcement made last week will see the service end on May 22 of this year as CBS News is undergoing restructuring that will result in layoffs affecting about 6% of its workforce and the closure of its long-running radio division CBS News Radio, marking the end of an era for one of the industry’s most historic news services.
KTLO FM is one of many stations that rely on the live hourly reports to bring its listeners the latest in national and worldwide news along with KTLO’s local news programming. Long time KTLO personality and owner Bob Knight first brought on the news service to give his listeners access to the quality and in depth reporting that had made CBS a leader in radio news.
In a memo to staff last week, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski described the cuts as a “difficult day,” noting that dozens of employees will be impacted. The layoffs represent the second round of reductions in six months, but the first tied directly to a new strategic vision aimed at repositioning the organization for a rapidly evolving media landscape. The move will eliminate all positions within CBS Radio and will affect approximately 700 affiliated stations nationwide that have relied on its newscasts and reporting for 100 years.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI