As the sun rises on another crisp autumn Saturday in New York City, the studios at CBS News hum with a mix of anticipation and quiet unease. For viewers tuning in at 7 a.m. Eastern, “CBS Saturday Morning” has long been a comforting ritual—a blend of thoughtful interviews, in-depth features, and that rare morning-show warmth that feels less like infotainment and more like a conversation over coffee. But today, November 22, 2025, marks a poignant turning point. Co-hosts Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson will step into the spotlight for what insiders confirm is their final broadcast together, wrapping up seven years of shared airtime amid a whirlwind of network upheaval. What’s more unsettling for the behind-the-scenes team? No word on who—or what—comes next.
Sources close to the production tell this outlet that the abrupt departure leaves staffers in limbo, with whispers of additional cuts echoing through the halls. It’s a stark reminder of the precarious state of broadcast journalism in an era dominated by streaming giants and shrinking ad dollars. As Miller and Jacobson sign off, they leave behind a legacy of journalistic grit, but also a question hanging in the air: Can “CBS Saturday Morning” survive the reinvention it’s barreling toward, or will it fade into the weekend ether?
A Duo Defined by Depth and Resilience
To understand the weight of this moment, it’s worth stepping back to 2018, when “CBS Saturday Morning”—then known as “CBS This Morning: Saturday”—welcomed Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson as its co-anchors. The show itself traces its roots even further, evolving from the experimental “CBS Morning News” formats of the 1990s into a standalone weekend staple by the early 2000s. What set Miller and Jacobson’s tenure apart was their unyielding focus on substance over spectacle. In an age where morning broadcasts often chase viral moments, they carved out space for stories that lingered—profiles on climate activists in the Arctic, intimate looks at recovery efforts after natural disasters, and unflinching examinations of social inequities.
Michelle Miller, 55, joined CBS News straight out of Howard University in the late ’90s, climbing the ranks with a reporter’s tenacity that earned her Emmys for coverage of everything from the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy to the 2020 racial justice protests following George Floyd’s death. Her segments on “CBS Sunday Morning” and “48 Hours” became must-watch TV, blending empathy with sharp analysis. Colleagues describe her as the “quiet storm” of the newsroom—a woman who could pivot from grilling a politician on policy failures to sharing a heartfelt story about a community’s unsung heroes, all without missing a beat. “Michelle doesn’t just report; she connects,” one former producer shared on condition of anonymity. “She made viewers feel seen, especially on tough topics.”
Dana Jacobson, 45, brought a different flavor to the anchor desk: the energy of a former ESPN sideline reporter turned multifaceted journalist. With a background in sports broadcasting from her days at the University of Maryland, Jacobson infused the show with a dynamic edge, whether she was dissecting election-night drama or unpacking the latest in global health crises. Her rapport with Miller was electric—think of it as the broadcast equivalent of peanut butter and jelly, smooth and satisfying. Together, they helmed the program through seismic shifts: the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw them broadcasting from home setups; the turbulent 2020 election cycle; and even the 2024 presidential race that redefined American discourse.
Their chemistry wasn’t accidental. It was honed over countless early-morning rehearsals and late-night edits, a partnership that sources say helped “CBS Saturday Morning” hold steady against flashier competitors like ABC’s “Good Morning America Weekend” and NBC’s “Today Third Hour.” Ratings, while never blockbuster, were respectable—averaging around 2.5 million viewers per episode in recent quarters, per Nielsen data—buoyed by loyal audiences who appreciated the show’s slower pace. Yet, in the cutthroat world of linear TV, “respectable” often isn’t enough.
The Layoff Tsunami: Paramount’s Cost-Cutting Cascade
The axe fell quietly but decisively last month, on October 29, 2025, as part of a sweeping round of layoffs at Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company. Nearly 100 positions across the news division were eliminated, a move tied to broader financial pressures: sagging linear ad revenue, mounting debt from streaming wars, and a strategic pivot under new leadership. At the epicenter? “CBS Saturday Morning,” which is undergoing a “radical revamp” to mirror the weekday flagship “CBS Mornings,” according to multiple insiders.
Miller, Jacobson, and executive producer Brian Applegate—veteran of over two decades at CBS—were among the first notified. Applegate, known for his steady hand in steering the show’s narrative vision, had been instrumental in expanding its investigative reach, including acclaimed series on mental health and environmental justice. His exit, like the anchors’, was framed as a “restructuring” necessity, but to those on the ground, it felt like a gut punch.
The ripple effects have been immediate and visceral. Staff meetings, once buzzing with story pitches, now carry an undercurrent of dread. “Everyone’s walking on eggshells,” one editor confided. “We’ve lost key producers, correspondents like Nikki Battiste and Nancy Chen, and now the faces of the show? It’s like pulling the foundation out from under us.” Social media amplifies the anxiety: On X (formerly Twitter), #CBSSaturdayMorning trended briefly this week, with posts from viewers lamenting the duo’s departure and speculating wildly about replacements. One viral thread from a media watchdog account read, “First Glor in ’24, now Miller and Jacobson? Paramount’s turning CBS News into a skeleton crew.”
Jacobson herself broke the news on Instagram last weekend, posting a candid photo of her and Miller mid-laugh in the studio. “Three more Saturdays for Michelle and me,” she wrote. “November 22nd slated for our last show. Grateful for the stories, the team, and the mornings that mattered.” The post, liked over 10,000 times, drew an outpouring of support from peers like Norah O’Donnell and even Oprah Winfrey, who commented, “You’ve illuminated so many truths. The light doesn’t dim—it shifts.”
Miller, ever the private one, has been more reserved, but sources say she’s already fielding offers from podcasts and cable outlets hungry for her voice. Jacobson, with her sports pedigree, is rumored to be eyeing a hybrid role at a digital network. Applegate? He’s keeping a low profile, focusing on “what’s next” with family and freelance consulting.
No Road Map Ahead: The Uncertainty Factor
If the departures sting, the void they’re leaving is a chasm. As of Friday evening, no permanent replacements have been announced to the staff, fueling speculation and second-guessing. One temporary fix: CBS correspondent Adriana Diaz, fresh off co-hosting the now-defunct “CBS Mornings Plus,” is slated to fill in on November 29. Diaz, 40, brings a fresh-faced vigor and bilingual flair, having covered immigration and Latin American affairs with nuance. But insiders question whether a single fill-in can bridge the gap to a full overhaul.
The revamp, teased in internal memos, aims to sync “CBS Saturday Morning” more closely with “CBS Mornings,” incorporating lighter segments, celebrity chats, and tech integrations to boost younger demographics. Critics within the network worry this dilutes the show’s soul—what made it a haven for long-form journalism. “We’re trading depth for digestibility,” a segment producer lamented. “Viewers come to us for the meat, not the fluff.”
This isn’t isolated turbulence. CBS News, under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski, is navigating a post-layoff landscape that’s seen other high-profile exits: “CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson stepped away earlier this year, and rumors swirl around Gayle King’s future on the weekday show. Paramount’s Johannesburg bureau shuttered entirely, and streaming offshoots like evening news pods were axed. It’s all part of a $500 million cost-slashing blitz, as the company eyes a potential merger with Skydance Media to shore up its balance sheet.
From a viewer’s lens, the changes could refresh the format—perhaps injecting more interactivity via CBS’s app or cross-promotions with Paramount+. But for the rank-and-file, it’s a survival game. Morale, already frayed by remote-hybrid mandates and budget squeezes, is at a nadir. Union reps from the NewsGuild are pushing for transparency, with a petition circulating demanding “clear timelines for transitions.”
Echoes of a Changing Media Tide
Zoom out, and this saga at “CBS Saturday Morning” mirrors the broader convulsions roiling traditional media. Once titans of the airwaves, networks like CBS are grappling with cord-cutting, where households ditching cable for Netflix and TikTok siphon ad pools dry. Morning shows, prized for their live, local feel, are prime targets: They’re expensive to produce yet yield middling returns compared to evergreen podcasts or YouTube clips.
Yet, there’s resilience in the DNA of shows like this. “CBS Saturday Morning” has weathered format tweaks before—adding Jeff Glor as a third host in 2021 before his 2024 exit—and emerged sharper. Miller and Jacobson’s run, bookended by national reckonings from school shootings to pandemics, underscored journalism’s role as a steadying force. Their final episode promises tributes: a montage of memorable moments, guest spots from alumni like Jane Pauley, and perhaps a live Q&A with viewers.
As the clock ticks toward broadcast, one thing’s clear: Saturday mornings won’t feel the same. Miller and Jacobson aren’t just leaving a slot; they’re closing a chapter on an era when weekend news felt personal, probing, and profoundly human. Will the revamp honor that spirit, or chase shadows in a fragmented landscape? Only time—and the next set of anchors—will tell.
In the meantime, tune in. Raise a mug to the women who made mornings matter. And brace for whatever dawn breaks next.