Head of CBS News to step down

Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, the president of CBS News, will step down this month and assume a new role at the company, she announced to employees Wednesday.

“After much consideration, I’ve decided this is the right time to step away from my current role at CBS News and begin to write my next chapter,” Ciprian-Matthews wrote to staff in a memo obtained by The Hill. “At the end of the month, I’ll be transitioning to a new role.”

“I have gladly agreed to stay on through the election as a senior editorial adviser to CBS News, given the historical significance of this election and the current political moment,” she added.

Ciprian-Matthews was hired by CBS to run the network less than a year ago, which made her the first Latina to hold that job and only the second woman in the company’s history to head up the network news operation.

Her transition comes just days after CBS’s parent company, Paramount, announced an agreement with Skydance for a multibillion dollar merger that would create one of the largest media companies in the country.

“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. I do not want to be disingenuous with any of you about who should drive these decisions,” Ciprian-Matthews said. “I’ve always leaned into my integrity and my values and I felt it was important to be transparent at this juncture about my plans.”

In a note of her own to staff, Wendy McMahon, CEO of CBS News, said the newly created role for Ciprian-Matthews “leverages Ingrid’s expertise, particularly as a former Washington bureau chief.”

“She will work directly with our D.C. bureau and political team to contribute significantly and help lead our coverage,” McMahon said. “Ingrid will transition into this new role over the next few weeks, and we will share more updates soon.”