Criticism Surrounds CBS Evening News Anchor Tony Dokoupil
Tony Dokoupil, the anchor of CBS Evening News, is facing harsh criticism within the network, described by some as a “useful idiot” who landed the position primarily due to his looks and was not the first choice for the role, according to a report.
Current and former employees at CBS shared their concerns anonymously with Vanity Fair, questioning Dokoupil’s ability to lead the struggling news division and expressing doubt about his rapid ascent. One former producer suggested that Dokoupil exhibits a significant level of impostor syndrome, implying he may feel unqualified for the role.
Insiders claim Dokoupil’s position was undermined from the beginning, indicating that Bari Weiss initially sought more prominent figures such as Bret Baier and Anderson Cooper. After those attempts fell through, Dokoupil was chosen, leading some within CBS to perceive him as a backup option rather than a primary selection.
A source in the industry remarked that Weiss “called everyone on the planet,” which further solidified the view that Dokoupil was not the preferred candidate, overshadowing his tenure from the start.
The situation reportedly worsened when Weiss interfered with the script during Dokoupil’s inaugural broadcast, a move that backfired as her edits were mistakenly included in the teleprompter multiple times. This resulted in an awkward debut, where Dokoupil appeared visibly upset, telling the audience, “Day one, we have a big problem here.”
However, CBS News counters this negative portrayal. They stated that “Tony Dokoupil is an extraordinarily talented and experienced journalist” who’s focused on reaching news audiences. They dismissed the anonymous criticisms from Vanity Fair as old and false rumors.
Within the newsroom, Dokoupil also faced mockery for overly praising Marco Rubio in a particular segment, which some felt was excessively flattering. One CBS journalist labeled this moment as “outrageous,” suggesting it might have disconnected viewers and raised doubts about Dokoupil’s editorial judgement.
Another anonymous producer commented that Dokoupil’s swift rise to fame was largely due to his appearance, highlighting the superficial nature of television news. They mentioned, “I wish it was eye candy, and he was eye candy,” noting that he looked better than previous co-anchor John Dickerson.
Some insiders believe Dokoupil may be more of a pawn in the network’s restructuring efforts, with one correspondent describing him as “a useful fool” who lacks widespread recognition.
Despite attempts to improve viewership, Dokoupil has struggled to elevate “CBS Evening News” out of its third-place position. The show has not yet surpassed the critical milestone of four million viewers, which is often viewed as a benchmark for evening news competitiveness. It continues to trail behind “ABC World News Tonight” and “NBC Nightly News.”
Nonetheless, there are some indications of stabilization, as Nielsen data suggests that the broadcast has seen a slight uptick in total viewers over the past three weeks compared to the previous year, though it still lags significantly behind its competitors.
