CBS News announced Friday it will shut down its radio news service after nearly a century of operation and lay off approximately 6% of its staff, citing economic challenges and shifts in radio programming strategies.

The radio service, which launched in September 1927, served as the precursor to the entire CBS network and gave founder William S. Paley his start in broadcasting. The service gained prominence during World War II through Edward R. Murrow's reports from London and became known for its top-of-the-hour news roundups delivered to an estimated 700 stations nationwide.

"While this was a necessary decision, it was not an easy one," CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski said in a memo to staff. The radio service will officially end on May 22, marking the conclusion of operations that helped establish CBS as a major news organization.

The closures reflect broader challenges facing traditional media formats. Radio dominated American news consumption from the 1920s through 1940s, including President Franklin Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" during the Depression, before television largely supplanted it in the 1950s. Today, audiences increasingly turn to online sources and podcasts for audio news content.

Weiss, who joined CBS News as editor-in-chief three months ago after founding the Free Press website, has been implementing changes at the network. In January, she announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to pursue stories that "surprise and provoke." Her leadership has drawn attention in journalism circles as she works to reshape the network's direction amid challenging economic conditions for traditional news organizations.