In a move attributed to broader layoffs within Paramount Global, approximately 20 CBS News employees received termination notices on Tuesday. The cuts affected CBS News operations in Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles, with notable correspondents Jeff Pegues and Catherine Herridge among those affected.

Both Pegues and Herridge held prominent roles within CBS News. Pegues had been serving as the network's chief national affairs and justice correspondent since March 2021, while Herridge had worked as an investigative correspondent in Washington since joining CBS in 2019, after a successful tenure at Fox News Channel.

The layoffs were confirmed by sources familiar with the matter, although a CBS News spokesperson did not provide an immediate comment. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on the number of job cuts, while The New York Post highlighted some of the affected employees.

Herridge's departure from CBS News follows a court case related to her work at Fox News. It emerged during the case that a Chinese-American scientist had been under scrutiny by the FBI as part of a counterintelligence probe. The scientist sued the FBI, alleging the leak of her name, and subpoenaed Herridge and Fox News to reveal her sources. Both Herridge and Fox News have fought against the subpoena, citing First Amendment protections.

In addition to Pegues and Herridge, other notable CBS News employees who were laid off include Christina Ruffini, a long-serving correspondent who had been with the network since her time as an intern, and Pamela Falk, a correspondent responsible for United Nations coverage.

The announcement of the layoffs did not come as a surprise to CBS News staffers, as Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish had previously indicated the company's intention to make cuts. Paramount Global has faced challenges in the streaming era, lagging behind competitors like Netflix and Amazon, which do not have the burden of maintaining traditional linear TV assets such as CBS, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. Paramount has also faced a decline in advertising revenue in recent quarters, leading to efforts to trim streaming investment costs.

However, some employees expressed disappointment in the timing of the layoffs, as they were announced one day after CBS congratulated its staff on the record-breaking Super Bowl LVIII broadcast. The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers garnered an audience of approximately 120 million viewers on CBS and across multiple platforms, with executives predicting advertising revenue exceeding the $600 million received by Fox for the 2023 event broadcast.

The departure of Pegues and Herridge leaves CBS News with gaps in its coverage of the U.S. Department of Justice and national security, according to insiders. Ruffini, meanwhile, dedicated a significant portion of her reporting to the U.S. Department of State.

These layoffs serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by traditional media companies as they navigate the evolving landscape of streaming and advertising revenue.