I have a friend who’s a veterinarian. She adores her job. Being a Negative Nancy, I once asked her what the worst part of her job is. She didn’t hesitate. She said it’s when pet owners bring their dogs or cats to the office to be put down, and then leave before it’s over. You wouldn’t believe the sadness and confusion in their eyes, she told me, as they understand their lives are about to end — and the one source of comfort isn’t there to be with them as it happens.
That’s an apt description for how CBS News Radio ended last week, largely without being heard on Audacy’s all-news and news/talk stations.
CBS News Radio was synonymous with the heritage brands now under Audacy’s umbrella. Obviously. Many of those stations used to be owned by CBS, so the connection ran deep.
Even after Entercom — now Audacy — took over those brands, the two remained important partners. CBS News Radio needed the large-market access Audacy’s stations provided. Audacy’s stations needed a reliable network news partner like CBS News Radio.
Until they didn’t.
A Parting That Made Sense — Even If the Timing Didn’t
Audacy switched its stations to ABC News Radio. That’s an obvious choice, and I’ve got no qualms with it. The business logic is sound, and ABC News Radio’s a strong operation. Network affiliations change. That’s radio.
My issue isn’t with the decision. I understand the reasoning. It’s with how the end actually transpired. Going into a holiday weekend, when one network was ceasing operations completely, you want to make sure everything’s set up correctly. Otherwise, chaos will ensue at one of the more inopportune times possible. That rationale makes sense on the surface.
But idealistic as it might sound, flipping the switch early left CBS News Radio dying in a room by itself — with sharply decreased exposure during its final hours. The transition essentially pulled the plug before the patient was gone.
Some stations did air the final moments. I listened on the Audacy app to WWJ 950 in Detroit while driving on a road trip, catching the end of the network at 11:31 PM ET. It was something. It just wasn’t enough.
A Bastion of News Radio Deserved a Proper Send-Off
CBS News Radio wasn’t some regional curiosity. It was a pillar of American broadcast journalism — one that shaped how millions of listeners understood the world around them for decades. A network with that kind of legacy deserved better than a quiet fade into a long weekend.
Both sides would’ve been well-served to see things through to the end. The audience would’ve been better served, too, in my opinion. It would have been a strong reminder to the audience that radio is the most intimate medium. It’s especially intimate at night. Ask any radio professional how they fell in love with the business, and there’s a real decent chance their answer includes something related to nighttime programming.
The moment deserved some pomp and circumstance, in my opinion. Instead, a bastion of news radio ended with a whimper. Maybe that’s simply how it was always going to go. Heritage doesn’t guarantee a graceful exit in this industry. Ratings, revenue, and operational logistics win out every time.
Still, it stings a little. It was sad to listen to. Knowing that not as many people were there as probably should have been. Sort of like those dogs and cats — alone in a room, wondering where everyone went.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
