Layoffs of Journalists of Color Amid Industry-Wide Diversity Crackdowns
Trey Sherman, a Black associate producer for CBS Evening News Plus, was laid off on October 29, 2025, following CBS News's Paramount–Skydance merger and plans to cut more than 2,000 jobs. Sherman was informed that his show had been eliminated. Within the CBS Evening News Plus team, four people of color were laid off while five white colleagues were reassigned, a disparity Sherman highlighted on TikTok and linked to racial lines.
These layoffs reflect a broader crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in media following executive orders issued in January 2025 by former President Trump targeting DEI programs and affirmative action in the federal government. Regulatory scrutiny intensified as the Federal Communications Commission launched investigations into Comcast/NBCUniversal and Disney. Amid this, Disney halted its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, and Gannett removed demographic diversity data from its website.
In October 2025, NBC groups experienced significant layoffs with entire teams such as NBC BLK, NBC Asian America, NBC Latino, and NBC Out being dissolved. Earlier cuts had already affected approximately 150 NBC News staff, and NBC subsequently reorganized under Versant Media Group. In early November 2025, Teen Vogue underwent layoffs reportedly affecting five women of color; however, Condé Nast did not officially confirm the number and stated that Teen Vogue would merge with Vogue for growth.
In response to the layoffs, activist groups and industry organizations demanded continued coverage of marginalized communities. Affinity groups engaged in meetings with NBC executives, while the National Association of Black Journalists and other groups provided support to affected staff. Additionally, around 200 laid-off Black journalists formed a LinkedIn group to develop a Black-owned media venture named Black Media Caucus, with an emerging core team.
These developments occur against a backdrop of historically low newsroom diversity, with a 2022 Pew Research Center report showing that 76% of journalists are white despite the U.S. population being approximately 58% white, underscoring ongoing underrepresentation.
