Tony Dokoupil Anchors a Reinvented “CBS evening News” Amidst Turmoil and Declining Trust
CBS News is betting on a fresh face and a return to conventional broadcast standards as Tony Dokoupil officially took the helm of the “CBS Evening News” on Monday. The move comes as the news division undergoes a significant reinvention under its new editor in chief, Bari Weiss, and grapples with a broader crisis of public trust in legacy media.
Dokoupil’s initial plans for a cross-country tour to connect with viewers outside of established media hubs – a 10-city trip facilitated by a privately leased 14-seat jet – were swiftly altered by unfolding geopolitical events. The emergence of a major story concerning U.S. military action in Venezuela prompted an immediate shift in strategy, with Dokoupil broadcasting live from San francisco on Saturday night before returning to New York for his official debut. The tour is now scheduled to begin Tuesday in Miami.
This transition marks the first major test for Weiss, who arrived at CBS News without prior experience in television or leading a large-scale journalism operation. A key responsibility for any television news executive is selecting on-air talent capable of boosting ratings, and Weiss’s choice in Dokoupil will be closely scrutinized.
Dokoupil, 45, succeeds the co-anchoring duo of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, who shared the role for a year. Their tenure saw an attempt to incorporate more in-depth reporting into the traditionally fast-paced evening news format, but the effort failed to resonate with audiences, contributing to further viewership decline and widening the gap between “CBS Evening News” and competitors “ABC world News Tonight With David Muir” and “NBC Nightly News With Tom Llamas.” Dokoupil’s first broadcast signaled a return to a more conventional presentation, featuring a focused shot of the anchor at a desk within a newsroom setting.
Notably, the program has eliminated its in-studio meteorologist for national weather updates, and the previous set design – featuring a long desk and frequent interaction with correspondents on a large screen – has been abandoned. This represents the fifth anchor change for “CBS Evening News” as 2017, a stark contrast to NBC’s single change and Muir’s sustained tenure at ABC since 2014.
CBS News promoted Dokoupil from his role as a “CBS Mornings” co-host, a position he assumed in 2019. Prior to joining CBS, Dokoupil spent a decade at NBC News, contributing to “Today” and MSNBC. He began his journalism career in print, working at U.S. News & World Report.
The internal challenges at CBS News extend beyond the anchor desk. A recent controversy involved a segment investigating the harsh conditions within a mega-prison in El Salvador used to detain undocumented migrants. Weiss believed the story required further reporting, specifically an on-camera response from Trump White House officials, despite refusals for comment from the White House, Department of Homeland Security, and state Department.
The eleventh-hour decision sparked criticism from “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who argued in an email to colleagues that it amounted to a political veto. “Government silence is a statement, not a VETO,” Alfonsi wrote, warning that allowing administrations to effectively “kill switch” unfavorable reporting would be detrimental to journalistic integrity. The segment subsequently aired on canada’s Global TV,an operational oversight by CBS News that further amplified the controversy.
Every move by Weiss has been subject to intense scrutiny since she assumed editorial control in October. She joined CBS News after Paramount acquired the Free Press, a digital platform she co-founded known for its critiques of perceived liberal bias in mainstream media. Critics have suggested Weiss’s appointment was intended to appease former President Trump as Paramount pursues a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery,a deal requiring government approval. A source close to Weiss, speaking on background, stated that Paramount did not influence the decision regarding the Alfonsi piece.
Paramount has already settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump against “60 Minutes” for $16 million, stemming from claims that the program deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris. CBS News did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement. The future of “CBS Evening News,” and indeed the broader CBS News division,hinges on navigating these challenges and rebuilding trust with a skeptical public.
