The announcement of Tony Dokoupil becoming the new anchor for CBS Evening News has been lambasted by insiders and reporters at the network. His promotion from co-host of CBS Mornings to the nightly seat at CBS Evening News, which was famously filled by the likes of legendary newscaster Walter Cronkite, was announced on Wednesday, December 10. However, other staffers at the network are displeased by his new role, with one calling him “an insult” to the chair.
Insiders criticize Tony Dokoupil’s promotion to CBS Evening News anchor
“It’s an insult to the storied news giants who came before him,” said a CBS News reporter speaking with The Independent.
“How unoriginal to give the job to a mediocre straight white man who can’t ask a tough question unless it aligns with his own personal agenda,” the reporter added.
Several insiders said that it was “not shocking” that Dokoupil was given the position by Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chef of CBS News, due to their shared views on Israel and the war in Gaza. In 2024, the anchor had a controversial interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates on the subject of Israel and Palestine. At the time, Weiss defended Dokoupil in a series of articles at The Free Press.
“He’s clearly been rewarded with the Evening News throne,” said the reporter before pointing out that the program has declined in viewership. “Although, some might argue it’s more of a toilet seat now.”
A November report of evening news ratings ranks CBS Evening News third (4.2 million viewers), well behind ABC World News Tonight with David Muir (8.2 million) and NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas (6.2 million).
It’s been reported that Weiss was attempting to fill the evening seat with talent outside of the network, including CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Dana Perino. But after those talks fell through, Dokoupil was next on the list.
Another CBS News insider criticized Dokoupil getting the position within a year of his controversial interview that violated editorial standards.
“Tony violated protocol with his interview with T’Coates and got embarrassed when it went viral for the wrong reasons,” the insider said. “He pouted and was protected by [former chair of Paramount] Shari Redstone and now Bari… while dragging the entire news organization under the bus.”
Rachel Maddow recently called CBS as a “huge embarrassment” and criticized the company’s takeover by Weiss.
