Gayle King's Future In Question As CBS Faces 'Massive Black Firings' Scandal

With the newsroom at CBS News rattled by sweeping layoffs, veteran anchor Gayle King's future at the network has suddenly become clouded.

King, the long-time co-host of CBS Mornings, appears to be caught in the cross-hairs of a broader corporate shake-up, as parent company Paramount Skydance implements cutbacks and signals a strategic shift. The result, many observers are asking whether the high-profile anchor will remain in her current role or be moved aside amid the changes.

Dramatic Lay-Offs at the Network

In late October 2025, Paramount Skydance announced layoffs of approximately 2,000 employees, about 10% of its workforce, in the wake of its £4.6 billion ($8 billion) merger with Skydance Media. Of those, around 100 jobs are reported to have been eliminated within CBS News alone.

Additionally, the network announced the closure of its Johannesburg bureau, cancellation of the streaming-only shows CBS Mornings Plus and CBS Evening News Plus, and the disbanding of its Race & Culture unit.

Sources within the newsroom described the process as a 'bloodbath'. Meanwhile, a former associate producer at CBS News has accused the network of conducting 'race-based layoffs', claiming that all laid-off producers on his team were people of colour, whereas white colleagues were reassigned.

Clearly, the internal environment at CBS is one of deep disruption, a context in which the question of King's role must be viewed.

King's Contract and Uncertain Role

King responded publicly to swirling reports that she would depart CBS Mornings when her contract ends in May 2026. She told TMZ that she was unaware of such plans.

According to network statements, 'There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026. She's a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future'.

Despite this, reports from media outlets suggest that King may be moved into a different role, one potentially producing her own content rather than continuing at the anchor desk.

King's comments were cautious but firm: 'What I'm hearing in the building is not what I'm reading in the press. ... And what I'm not going to do is negotiate in the media'.

Thus, while she remains employed and valued according to CBS, the broader changes at the network leave her future docked in uncertainty.

The Stakes For King Amid the Overhaul

King has been with CBS Mornings (and its predecessor programmes) since 2012, becoming one of the network's most visible faces.

The network's focus on aligning roles with 'evolving priorities', as outlined in chief executive David Ellison's memo to staff, suggests that personalities who do not fit the new strategic direction may face reassignment.

For King, this means her continued presence on-air is not guaranteed, even if the formal contract remains in place. She may be asked to transition into a producing role, or to shift away from daily anchoring altogether.

Moreover, the optics of the broader layoffs at CBS, particularly the criticism around race and diversity in the cuts, raise additional pressures on key figures, like King, to take a visible stand or negotiate their own future amid a rapidly changing newsroom culture.

Gayle King's future at CBS remains officially secure but strategically fragile. With an industry in flux and the network undergoing one of its most significant shake-ups in decades, even high-profile anchors are not immune to repositioning.

Only time will tell whether King stays the face of CBS Mornings, moves behind the scenes, or exits the network entirely, but the next move will speak volumes about the new CBS and how it intends to navigate the changing media landscape.