Viewer ratings for “CBS Evening News” have dropped below 4 million, hitting a record low for the show hosted by Tony Dokoupil, as CBS officials have revealed.
Kim Harvey, the executive producer since last August, is expected to resign unless she can boost the ratings of the flagship broadcast, according to sources close to the situation.
Dokoupil was appointed as anchor in January by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, replacing John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois, in an effort to improve viewership numbers that had already dipped below 4 million.
Initially, Dokoupil’s debut attracted 4.4 million viewers and peaked at 4.6 million by late January. However, viewership has steadily declined, plummeting to 3.8 million in mid-March, according to Nielsen.
“It’s a tough situation. If we drop below 4 million, we might be looking at a real crisis,” a CBS official commented. “If we can’t maintain an audience now, I can’t imagine how we’ll do when things calm down.”
Some insiders have voiced concerns about the show being “too lenient” under Harvey’s direction. Recently, the show aired segments about meteor sightings and frequently ended with animal-related stories. One source noted, “There’s too much animal talk. Kim loves animals, but it’s becoming all about that.”
Critics pointed out that corporate news coverage is lacking, although there was a recent investigation into hospice fraud that Weiss insisted should be featured.
Another official claimed, “In just three months, we’ve lost over 500,000 viewers. Someone will have to pay the price.”
Media reports have attributed the ratings drop to recent time changes due to daylight saving time.
In contrast, “ABC World News Tonight” attracted 8.5 million viewers, while “NBC Nightly News” garnered over 6.5 million.
When ratings sink to a particular point, upper management typically begins adjusting programming aspects, such as graphics and sets, before making decisions about executive producers, insiders said.
This past week, “CBS Evening News” updated its set design and altered the camera angle, shifting to a dark blue world map background instead of the traditional newsroom view.
CBS News has dismissed claims that Harvey is facing a difficult situation and emphasized their optimism about the show’s new direction.
However, sources suggest that these surface-level changes aren’t enough to reverse the show’s significant rating challenges, speculating that replacing Harvey could be the next step.
“It feels chaotic each night,” stated one insider, adding that the production team saw a shake-up when the network proposed a takeover in February, leading to the loss of at least six producers.
Harvey, who ascended to executive producer in August, has managed a tumultuous transition following Dickerson and Dubois. She took over after Guy Campanile, a veteran of “60 Minutes,” who was known for his direct communication with CBS News president Tom Cybrowski.
Sources indicated that the management preferred someone more cooperative to lead the show.
Some critics believe that Weiss also shares the blame for the declining ratings, especially given that her choice of Dokoupil as anchor came with minimal solo anchoring experience.
Dokoupil’s tenure began shakily with a few mistakes on-air, raising doubts about his readiness for the role.
The challenge remains to capture viewers’ attention with diverse and engaging reporting.
Weiss, who took charge of CBS News in October, aims to enhance investigative reporting, but tangible results have yet to materialize.
With potential layoffs on the horizon, insiders are questioning how CBS News plans to revitalize flagship programs like “60 Minutes” and “CBS Mornings,” while also focusing on investigative storytelling—something that has been difficult under the previous leadership.
“CBS has always been about big business and investigative journalism, but these days, they miss the mark on that,” one source concluded, noting that the investigative aspect has weakened significantly amid layoffs and frequent changes in leadership.
