CBS News has ended its search for a new face to lead its flagship evening newscast, selecting Tony Dokoupil for the role. The announcement follows a period of internal deliberation and external speculation about the future of the broadcast.
Dokoupil, a co-host of the network’s morning program since 2019, will take the helm of the CBS Evening News early next year. The decision comes after the network’s recent top editor, Bari Weiss, reportedly considered several high-profile external candidates before settling on an internal promotion.
The anchor position became a pressing vacancy after the previous dual-anchor format, which featured John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, was dissolved. Both anchors have since announced their departures from the network.
In a statement, Weiss framed the appointment as a move to rebuild audience trust, praising Dokoupil’s commitment to “old school journalistic values.” CBS News President Tom Cibrowski echoed the sentiment, calling the new anchor “authentic, compassionate, unafraid.”
Dokoupil’s path to the evening chair has not been without turbulence. Last year, he faced significant internal and public criticism following a contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates. The fallout revealed divisions within CBS leadership, with top executives initially reprimanding Dokoupil for a perceived breach of impartiality, only to be publicly contradicted days later by Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, who called the reprimand a “bad mistake.”
In his own statement, Dokoupil said he was “honored to join a fearless team” and committed to delivering “the plain truth.” The network plans to launch his tenure with a cross-country tour.
The CBS Evening News has struggled with instability for nearly two decades, cycling through a series of anchors since the long reign of Dan Rather ended in 2005. High-profile hires, including Katie Couric and Scott Pelley, were unable to secure a lasting ratings turnaround. Norah O’Donnell’s recent tenure, which included a high-profile relocation of the broadcast to Washington D.C., also failed to significantly close the viewership gap with competitors NBC and ABC.
The broadcast has experimented with various formats in recent years, including a shift toward longer, less politically-focused segments under veteran producer Bill Owens, but these changes have not resonated with a broad audience.
As Dokoupil prepares to assume one of the most scrutinized roles in television news, the sentiment from within the network appears to be a mix of hope and realism. One staffer, speaking on the challenge ahead, offered a succinct send-off: “Good luck to him. He’s gonna need it.”