Tony Dokoupil Named as CBS Evening News Anchor
Bari Weiss has been focused on steering CBS News toward a stronger, more stable evening program as it competes with NBC and ABC. On Wednesday, she promoted Tony Dokoupil, the co-host of CBS Mornings, to take over as the new anchor of CBS Evening News starting January 5.
During her early weeks in the editor-in-chief role, Weiss explored several top anchors from rival networks, including Bret Baier and Dana Perino at Fox News, but those contracts were binding. Internally, Dokoupil, 44, emerged as a strong candidate alongside Norah O’Donnell, who previously anchored the program from 2019 to 2025.
The decision also reflected a practical need. The show had opened the year with a dual-anchor format, which briefly decreased viewership. With John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois both planning to depart the network, CBS faced a vacancy heading into the new year.
“We live in a time when trust in the media is fragile. Tony Dokoupil is the right person to win that trust back,” Weiss stated. “He embodies classic journalistic values—asking tough questions, pursuing the facts wherever they lead, and holding power to account. Americans seeking fairness will see that commitment on display every night.”
Tom Cibrowski, president of CBS News, described Dokoupil as “authentic, compassionate, and unafraid,” the ideal combination for an evening-news anchor.
Dokoupil joined CBS News in 2016 after a stint as a correspondent at MSNBC and has been a co-host of CBS Mornings since 2019.
In late 2024, Dokoupil became the center of a notable controversy following a contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates. He suggested that Coates’ recently released book could be found in the backpack of an “extremist,” which spurred widespread online backlash as clips circulated widely.
The controversy intensified when Adrienne Roark, a senior CBS News executive, told staff that the interview violated editorial guidelines on impartiality and had been addressed with the host. However, Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, later asserted at an industry event that CBS News leadership had made a “bad mistake” in admonishing Dokoupil.
Status, a media newsletter, reported that CBS News had tapped Dokoupil for the anchor role. Dokoupil welcomed the opportunity, saying, “I’m honored to join a fearless team at this crucial moment, with a commitment to trust and the plain truth.”
CBS indicated that Dokoupil would begin his duties with a cross-country tour.
CBS News has seen a revolving door of evening anchors over the past 15 years, unlike the relatively stable lineups at NBC News and ABC News. One employee even described the chair as “the electric chair,” given how rarely it remains occupied for long.
Historically, the program has faced notable transitions: Dan Rather’s lengthy tenure ended amid controversy in 2005 after a report on George W. Bush’s National Guard service; Bob Schieffer served as interim anchor for about a year; Katie Couric’s high-profile move from NBC to CBS in 2011 did not close the gap with rivals, and she eventually left in 2011 after five years. She was followed by Scott Pelley, who lasted roughly six years before departing without a clear successor, with Anthony Mason and Jeff Glor offering shorter stints.
Even after the show shifted its base from New York to Washington, D.C., the audience response remained tepid under O’Donnell. Dickerson and DuBois, who followed, had the briefest permanent-tenure runs in recent memory. Under longtime 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens, CBS experimented with longer-form segments less tightly tied to current political minutiae, but the change did not resonate with viewers.
A CBS News insider summed up the sentiment: best of luck to Dokoupil—he’ll need it as he steps into a chair that has proven exceptionally difficult to fill.
