CBS Evening News Ratings Dip Below 4 Million Viewers
The flagship evening broadcast of CBS News has fallen below 4 million viewers for the first time since Tony Dokoupil was appointed as anchor by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
According to Nielsen data, “CBS Evening News” averaged approximately 3.83 million viewers for the week ending March 13, with around 468,000 of those in the coveted 25 to 54 age demographic, which is significant for advertisers.
Last year, CBS executives made the decision to remove John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois from the show after their ratings consistently dipped below that crucial 4 million mark, a point that has long been a concern within the network.
In terms of viewership, CBS is currently lagging behind its competitors. “ABC World News Tonight” topped the charts with about 8.48 million total viewers, including approximately 1.03 million in the 25 to 54 bracket.
Meanwhile, “NBC Nightly News” also outshone CBS, attracting around 6.51 million viewers, including 946,000 in that same demographic. This program, anchored by Tom Lamas, has managed to close the gap with ABC, surpassing “World News Tonight” in key demographics during certain weeks in early 2026, representing the closest competition seen in six years.
CBS News officials suggested that the recent slip in ratings could be partly due to the impact of daylight saving time.
Despite this downward trend, the network experienced some positive momentum since Dokoupil took over in January, outperforming its season-to-date average in nine out of ten weeks and posting a 7% increase in total viewers and a 10% rise in adults 25-54 compared to earlier in the season.
However, CBS’s digital presence is also showing signs of decline. In February, the network’s online viewership dropped by 13% year-over-year, bringing in around 90 million unique visitors, including traffic from local CBS stations. Despite this dip, CBS still holds a slight edge over NBC News, CNN, and Fox News.
In contrast, NBC News saw an 8% growth in the same timeframe, reaching 87 million unique visitors and overtaking CBS in the digital realm.
Dokoupil’s debut as anchor was notably rocky. On his first regular broadcast, he stumbled over the teleprompter, resulting in several seconds of awkward silence for viewers. This mishap was quickly rectified, but further scrutiny followed, particularly due to some odd on-air moments that drew criticism.
Weiss’s arrival at CBS has led to a significant shake-up within the network, with some staff members at “60 Minutes” expressing dissatisfaction with her leadership style, and a number of employees opting for buyouts in anticipation of further layoffs.
