A senior CBS News journalist has revealed he is the latest on-air talent to flee the network amid a shake-up being masterminded by its new editor-in-chief.
Hard-charging Justice Department Correspondent Scott MacFarlane made the announcement in a Monday morning post to X - joining anchors like John Dickerson, Maurice DuBois, and CBS Mornings boss Shawna Thomas in doing so.
'This is my decision, and I appreciate the bosses at CBS for understanding it,' he wrote, in part, following an appearance on CBS Mornings.
'I will always value the opportunity I had to work alongside the talented and committed professionals here,' the legal expert added.
'I'm proud to have had the words "CBS correspondent" next to my name - always will be.'
MacFarlane - who has been with CBS News since 2021 - said the next phase of his career will center around 'independence and finding new spaces to share my work in line with my personal goals.'
'The work will not stop, and I'll always be a call away,' he added.
CBS News chief Bari Weiss was not mentioned in the notice, which MacFarlane also posted on LinkedIn with more explanation.
Justice Department Correspondent Scott MacFarlane has announced that he is leaving CBS News after a half decade
His exit comes in the midst of a greater overhaul being carried out by Bari Weiss, who has bemoaned the current state of legacy media. Her bosses recently had a $110 billion bid for Warner Bros-Discovery - CNN's parent - accepted, sparking fears of layoffs at both networks
'As Tom mentioned on our 9am call, I want to personally let you know that my work will soon no longer appear on CBS News,' he wrote, referring to CBS News' top editor alongside Weiss, Tom Cibrowski.
MacFarlane praised the colleagues he is leaving behind as 'wonderful' - leading to a rush of reaction.
'We will miss you, Scott,' wrote Face the Nation's Margaret Brennan on X. Her show was altered by Weiss in one of her first orders as business as CBS News boss.
Weiss brought an end to editing taped interviews on 'Face the Nation' following complaints from the Trump administration over an appearance on the show in January featuring since-fired US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
'I will follow your work wherever you end up. You brought your enthusiasm and dedication to reporting to our DC bureau, the Hill & DOJ and made all of our broadcasts better. Thank you,' Brennan wrote as a result.
Ex-Evening News host Dickerson liked MacFarlane's LinkedIn post, months after he said he would leave the network just days after Weiss was appointed in October.
She was hired by then-new Paramount CEO David Ellison, the son of billionaire Trump supporter Larry Ellison.
Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta also gave MacFarlane his flowers, a little more than a year after leaving his own station in protest of the administration.
MacFarlane made the announcement in a Monday morning post to X - earning responses from journalists who have drawn the ire of the administration in the past, including Jim Acosta and CBS colleague Margaret Brennan
'Excellent work Scott. Happy trails,' he wrote.
Just days before, now-ex Mornings producer Shawna Thomas announced that she was leaving after serving as executive producer since 2021 - the same year MacFarlane joined.
'I've taken that responsibility of trying to inform, educate, entertain and make people care about the world around them very seriously, and I know the people here do, too;' Thomas wrote to staff in a separate memo.
'This isn't THE GREAT GOODBYE NOTE. But you should know I've been thinking about this for a while and, frankly, I'm tired y'all.'
Ex-60 Minutes boss Bill Owens and former CBS News and Stations CEO Wendy McMahon already left the network ahead of Paramount's since-solidified merger with the Ellisons' Skydance, which was approved by the FCC over the summer.
In the months since, CBS has been subject to an overhaul under Weiss - with former CBS Mornings host Tony Dokoupil replacing Dickerson and Dubois on Evening News in January, and CBS Saturday Mornings having their entire team laid off.
Ellison, upon assuming his position in July, articulated a vision of the prime Paramount asset reaching people across the nation who are more centrist.
The company recently had a $110 billion bid for Warner Bros-Discovery - CNN's parent company - accepted, sparking fears within both newsrooms of more layoffs.
MacFarlane's exit also comes months after the network gave the five-year anniversary of January 6 insurrection only a passing mention on Dokoupil's broadcast， which remains in last place within the legacy network field.
MacFarlane was previously an investigative reporter for WRC-TV， the NBC affiliate in Washington， DC.
He was also Congressional Correspondent for the Cox Media Group and its affiliate stations.
The Daily Mail has approached CBS News and Paramount for comment.