Tony Dokoupil to Host CBS Evening News
CBS News has reportedly chosen Tony Dokoupil, the co-host of “CBS Morning,” to take over as anchor for “CBS Evening News.”
According to sources, Dokoupil will transition from his role on CBS Morning, where he works with Gayle King and Nate Burleson, to his new position in the upcoming year. An official announcement from CBS is anticipated as early as Tuesday.
A spokesperson from CBS wasn’t available to comment on the situation.
Last week, reports indicated that Dokoupil, aged 44, was the leading contender for the anchor role and had the backing of the network’s editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, along with company president Tom Cybrowski.
There are signs that CBS Morning might undergo significant changes, which could mean King and Burleson may not continue with the show. However, specifics surrounding any overhaul haven’t been set, and it doesn’t appear to be happening soon.
King’s contract is set to expire in May, but he aims to remain on the show until then. Officials are optimistic about finding him another position at CBS, should he step away from the morning program.
Dokoupil joined CBS News back in 2016 as a correspondent based in New York and quickly ascended to co-anchor the morning show in 2018 with King.
Notably, he made headlines last October during a contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates regarding his pro-Palestinian views on the previous year’s conflict with Hamas and Israel.
In a tense moment during a CBS Mornings meeting, Dokoupil faced criticism from then-CBS News Director Wendy McMahon and her deputy, Adrienne Roark, suggesting his interview didn’t align with the network’s editorial criteria.
Dokoupil’s upcoming promotion coincides with CBS Evening News co-anchor Maurice Dubois announcing his last day on air will be December 18. One source mentioned he has “gone rogue.” The announcement was shared via Instagram last week, which seemingly sped up negotiations with Dokoupil.
Cybrowski denied any allegations related to Dubois’s exit and mentioned they collaborated closely on his farewell message.
Dubois, well-known for his role at WCBS-TV in New York, joined CBS Evening News last January alongside John Dickerson.
Dickerson has since declared he will depart the network at the end of the year, leading to speculation that Dubois might also leave. His last day is expected to be December 19.
In the interim, CBS Evening News plans to use temporary fill-in anchors until Dokoupil takes the helm.
While Dokoupil has emerged as the top choice, there are also considerations for other candidates, including Fox News’ Bret Baier and Dana Perino, who are locked into long-term contracts. It’s been noted that Bari Weiss showed interest in CNN’s Anderson Cooper as well, but budget constraints limit options.
The CBS Evening News team has faced challenges, especially last year, shortly after Dickerson and Dubois took the anchor seats.
Under McMahon’s guidance, the program shifted to a style similar to “60 Minutes,” which resulted in missing out on timely news coverage. Insiders report that the pairing of Dubois and Dickerson didn’t mesh well, leading to a viewer drop of about one million.
Before their tenure, Norah O’Donnell anchored the program, and while she ended up in third place, she didn’t experience a similar drastic decline in ratings.
One frustrated CBS source remarked about McMahon’s strategy, saying, “She believed she could do a better job with two men than a woman,” but also acknowledged that Dokoupil has considerable work ahead of him.
