Tony Dokoupil’s CBS Evening News: A Controversial Rise and Ratings Struggle
Tony Dokoupil, who became the anchor of the CBS Evening News in January 2026, has quickly become a polarizing figure in American broadcast journalism. With a career that includes authoring books and reporting for major networks, Dokoupil’s ascent to the anchor chair was met with both anticipation and skepticism. However, his tenure has been marked by critical backlash, on-air gaffes, and a persistent struggle to lift CBS out of third place in the nightly news ratings.
Critics have been quick to judge Dokoupil’s performance. Variety’s chief TV critic Daniel D’Addario called his debut an “inauspicious” sign, suggesting that Dokoupil lacks the charisma and aptitude to fulfill the network’s agenda, even comparing his style to that of Jerry Springer. Margaret Sullivan, a media critic, went further, arguing that Dokoupil and CBS represent a troubling trend of “Trump sycophancy” in mainstream media, adopting a “Fox News Lite” approach. Additionally, Megyn Kelly criticized Dokoupil for showing emotion on air, citing it as an example of the “feminization of the newsroom.” These critiques highlight the intense scrutiny he faces from both sides of the political spectrum.
Dokoupil’s on-air missteps have also fueled the controversy. In one notable incident, he was slammed for mixing up Kanye West and Diddy during a broadcast, an error that went viral and further damaged his credibility. His coverage of President Trump’s China summit was also fraught with difficulties, including being barred from broadcasting from his Taiwan hotel. Despite these challenges, Dokoupil has defended his approach, emphasizing the importance of journalistic integrity, particularly regarding election integrity, and urging fellow journalists to stand up for democratic principles.
Ratings-wise, the CBS Evening News remains firmly in third place, trailing ABC’s “World News Tonight” and NBC’s nightly newscast. While Dokoupil managed to eke out 4 million viewers in May 2026, the network still lags behind its rivals. ABC’s David Muir continues to lead in total viewers, and Tom Llamas is narrowing the demo gap. As Dokoup
Shimanta Das 
