Tony Dokoupil is a seasoned journalist. He was a part of CBS’s morning information program for the final six years. However he left CBS Mornings behind final month after he acquired a large promotion. The morning present host moved to primetime as the brand new host of CBS Night Information. Sadly, his debut has some main hiccups. One viewer even slammed it as “dysfunctional.” Preserve studying to search out out what occurred.
Tony Dokoupil Takes Over CBS Night Information
CBS viewers anticipated some adjustments when the community’s father or mother firm, Paramount World, merged with Skydance Media. Earlier than the merger even went via, the community unexpectedly canceled Stephen Colbert’s late-night discuss present. The adjustments continued as soon as the merger grew to become official in August 2025.
Bari Weiss took over as Editor-in-Chief of the community’s information division. The Wall Road Journal reported that hundreds of staff have been laid off at Paramount, together with CBS Information staffers, after the merger. However the greatest change got here when CBS Night Information co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois resigned weeks aside. Their final broadcast was in December.
CBS promoted Tony Dokoupil from co-anchor of the morning present to the only anchor of CBS Night Information. He made a brief, surprising debut over the weekend to cowl the breaking information story that the US had captured the chief of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and introduced him to New York Metropolis to face drug trafficking costs.
However Tony Dokoupil’s official debut on CBS Night Information wasn’t till Monday, January 5, 2026. Regardless of his years of expertise, the printed acquired off to a rocky begin. He started the printed by discussing Tim Walz’s determination to not run for reelection for a 3rd time period as Governor of Minnesota. The previous operating mate of Kamala Harris has been underneath hearth amid an investigation into daycare fraud in Minnesota.
However the photos proven on the display throughout Tony Dokoupil’s introduction have been of Senator Mark Kelly. The Senator was just lately censured by Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth over a video by which the Senator reminded army personnel that they don’t must observe unlawful orders. The video obtained main backlash from the Trump administration.
Tony Dokoupil appeared flustered by the mix-up however shortly regained his composure and the remainder of the printed went off with no hitch.
Tony Dokoupil’s CBS Night Information debut acquired off to a troublesome begin … pic.twitter.com/X3IQ3HhZXb
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 6, 2026
Viewers Blast His ‘Dysfunctional’ Debut
“First Day, Large Issues Right here,” Tony Dokoupil acknowledged in the course of the broadcast. Nonetheless, CBS Night Information viewers felt the screw up was far more critical than the anchor let on. Viewers took to social media to share their response to the “issues.”
- “CBS Information is crumbling at a file charge underneath Bari Weiss.”
- “This occurs while you create a brand new staff with out anybody who is aware of how one can run a community information present.”
- “full & utter incompetence on show throughout Bari Weiss & Tony Dokoupil’s first weekday, primetime broadcast.”
- “The inexperience of latest CBS Information chief Bari Weiss is on full show.”
- “What within the newsroom is that this. From the set to the dysfunction”
Tony Dokoupil has his work lower out for him in redeeming himself. He was already blasted on social media for a bizarre tackle he made days earlier than his official debut. The CBS Information Anchor vowed adjustments to the printed, extra transparency, and different guarantees. Viewers could finally give him an opportunity, however for now, they’re cautious. Inform us within the feedback what you considered his debut.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small city in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa College in Boulder, Colorado. She at all times knew watching actuality TV reveals and cleaning soap operas, notably ‘Days of Our Lives’, would turn out to be useful sometime. When she’s not writing, she’s taking part in together with her canines, Lola and Ruger
