In a sudden turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the media industry, CBS News president Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews announced her resignation Wednesday, ending a controversy-laden tenure that lasted less than a year.
The abrupt departure comes as CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, prepares for a complex merger with Skydance Media, and leaves the network without top leadership heading into the crucial 2024 presidential election.
Ciprián-Matthews ascended to the role of president in August 2023 following the turbulent exit of her predecessor, Neeraj Khemlani. However, her brief stint at the helm was marred by a series of scandals and accusations that have cast a shadow over the network’s news division.
At the center of the controversy was Ciprián-Matthews’ alleged role in sidelining white journalists and blocking reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop story. The firing of Catherine Herridge, a respected senior investigative reporter, in February 2024 raised eyebrows across the industry.
Insiders speculated that Herridge’s exit was linked to her dogged pursuit of the Hunter Biden story, particularly her reporting that President Joe Biden may have hidden evidence of foreign business dealings while in office.
Adding fuel to the fire, a New York Post investigation in January revealed that Ciprián-Matthews had been the subject of a six-month human resources probe in 2021, focusing on accusations of discriminatory hiring and management practices.
Current and former employees alleged that she used her influence to unfairly sideline white journalists, leading to several employee complaints.
One particularly explosive claim involved Ciprián-Matthews allegedly supporting the promotion of a correspondent –despite witnessing him verbally abusing a female colleague — because he was a minority. In another instance, a white job candidate claimed Ciprián-Matthews told her it would be easier to hire her if she were a “different color.”
The controversy deepened with CBS’s handling of Herridge’s personal files, which included her reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop story and legal documents related to a First Amendment case. The network’s seizure and initial refusal to return these files raised serious concerns about press freedom and editorial independence.
In her memo to staff, Ciprián-Matthews attempted to frame her exit as a positive decision in light of the impending corporate changes.
“We all know our industry and company are going through a transformation and a number of short- and long-term decisions need to be made,” she wrote. “I do not want to be disingenuous with any of you about who should drive these decisions.”
Industry insiders suggest that her departure is more directly linked to the mounting controversies.
“The cost-cutting gave [CEO Wendy McMahon] the opportunity to rid herself of Ingrid,” a source close to the network told The Post, adding that Ciprián-Matthews had become an “impediment” to McMahon’s efforts to consolidate the news and stations divisions.
As CBS News scrambles to fill the leadership vacuum, the broader implications for the network and the media landscape are significant.
With ABC News also currently without a chief, two of the nation’s biggest mainstream media television broadcast organizations find themselves leaderless at a critical juncture, just months away from a high-stakes presidential election.