MacFarlane first joined the network in 2021, focusing on Congress and the Justice Department
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Scott-MacFarlane-from-CBS-News-2022-Election-Headquarters-031026-e08a9059c13e40f68ede6564798d2fcd.jpg "Scott MacFarlane from CBS News' 2022 Election Headquarters in Times Square for the 2022 Midterms.")
Credit: Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Scott MacFarlane announced his departure from CBS after five years on Monday, March 9, citing a desire for independence in his career
- His exit comes amid changes at CBS, including new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and a shift to political centrism
- MacFarlane was known for his political reporting, including State of the Union coverage and the 2024 Trump assassination attempt
Scott MacFarlane is stepping away from CBS after five years covering Congress and the Justice Department.
On Monday, March 9, the longtime journalist announced his decision on X, sharing a letter he sent to his colleagues.
“To my incredible colleagues at CBS: I want to personally let you know that my work will soon no longer appear on CBS News,” he wrote. “This is my decision, and I appreciate the bosses at CBS for understanding it.”
MacFarlane added that he will "always value” his work with “the talented and committed professionals here.”
“I'm proud to have had the words 'CBS correspondent' next to my name, always will be,” he added.
Credit: T.J. Kirkpatrick/CBS via Getty
Hinting at his future career moves, MacFarlane noted, “For the next phase of my career, I look forward to some independence and finding new spaces to share my work in line with my personal goals. I thank you all. The work will not stop, and I'll always be a call away."
MacFarlane’s decision comes amid continued change for CBS after Paramount acquired Warner Bros. Discovery on Feb. 27.
A person familiar with the matter told Variety that MacFarlane’s decision surprised many of his colleagues.
MacFarlane, who joined CBS in 2021, was known for his political coverage, with CBS viewers seeing him on their screens for State of the Union and election nights. He also covered the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Penn. in July 2024, reporting from the field.
Credit: Leigh Vogel/Getty
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The journalist’s exit comes amid a shakeup for CBS News with the appointment of new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who has been tasked with moving CBS News to the political center by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, per The Los Angeles Times.
Weiss is expected to make changes to Peabody Award-winning program 60 Minutes, which has been widely criticized by the Trump administration in recent years, as well as other CBS News programs.
The outlet reports that other TV news organizations privately shared they have been seeing a “heavy influx of resumes from the network’s journalists due to the upheaval at the company.”
One key figure from the network who will not be moving on is CBS Mornings' Gayle King, who signed a new contract to continue to co-anchor the morning show earlier this month after months of speculation about her future.
