Employees of CBS News’ streaming news channel, CBS News 24/7, on Tuesday staged a 24-hour walkout in protest over the lack of a new collective bargaining agreement.
CBS News 24/7 staffers based in New York City and San Francisco are part of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), and the union has been in discussions with CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Skydance, over an updated agreement. It failed to reach an agreement on a new contract on March 9, which led to the walkout.
“CBS News 24/7 journalists are walking off the job on both coasts today because management refuses to agree to a new contract with essential work protections and fair wages,” the WGAE said in a statement. “Despite multiple days of good faith negotiations and a strike pledge signed by 95% of our members to emphasize the seriousness of our demands, management continues to offer us worse terms than in our last contracts. We chose this field to cover the news, but we believe this work stoppage is necessary to achieve a fair contract.”
In a statement shared with TVNewser, a CBS News spokesperson said, “We continue to negotiate in good faith and hope to reach a fair resolution quickly.”
CBS News 24/7 journalists have been protesting outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City and at KPIX-TV, CBS News Bay Area, in San Francisco, CA, since 6 a.m. ET, with reports that the streaming network did not begin live programming until 11 a.m. ET.
WGAE members at CBS News 24/7 are fighting to protect their livelihoods during a period of uncertainty in broadcast news.
Layoffs, editorial interference and political pressure have all become existential threats that need to be addressed with a strong union contract. FAIR CONTRACT NOW!
— Writers Guild of America East (@wgaeast.bsky.social) March 17, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Currently, there’s uncertainty surrounding CBS News 24/7’s future, with WGAE members worried about job security, political influence, and what is to come as Paramount Skydance works to complete its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.
Aware of the ongoing merger developments, Beth Godvik, WGAE vice president of broadcast, cable, and streaming news, said in a statement, “Paramount has billions to spend acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, but still hasn’t guaranteed fair wages and basic job protections for the workers who make their streaming operation run.”
