UPDATE: CBS News has officially chosen Tony Dokoupil, co-host of CBS Mornings, to anchor the CBS Evening News, according to sources close to the situation. This major shift is set to take effect at the beginning of 2024, with an official announcement expected as soon as Tuesday.
Dokoupil, aged 44, will transition from his current role alongside Gayle King and Nate Burleson to lead the evening news program, following the departure of Maurice DuBois, whose last day is confirmed for December 18, 2023. This change comes amid a tumultuous period for the network, which has seen significant viewer losses and internal shakeups.
Why This Matters NOW: The appointment of Dokoupil represents a pivotal moment for CBS News, as insiders anticipate a potential overhaul of the morning show format. With DuBois’s unexpected departure and his statement on Instagram causing a stir, CBS is scrambling to maintain stability as ratings continue to decline.
Dokoupil’s rise within CBS News has been rapid; he joined as a New York-based correspondent in 2016 and became a co-anchor on the morning show in 2018. His recent interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates in October 2024 stirred controversy, highlighting internal conflicts regarding editorial standards at CBS. The network’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, has expressed strong support for Dokoupil, seeing him as a key figure in revitalizing the evening program.
Insiders indicate that CBS Mornings may undergo significant changes, possibly impacting the roles of King and Burleson. Although no timeline for these changes has been established, King’s contract is set to expire in May, leaving her future at the network uncertain. CBS aims to retain King in another capacity, should she step back from the morning show.
As CBS Evening News prepares for Dokoupil’s leadership, the network is expected to utilize fill-in anchors until he officially takes over. The competition for the evening slot has intensified as CBS seeks to recover from a year of upheaval, marked by the departures of both DuBois and John Dickerson, who has also announced plans to leave by the end of December.
CBS Evening News has faced criticism for its recent programming strategies, which shifted towards feature-style reporting, resulting in a loss of approximately 1 million viewers. This type of reporting has been perceived as failing to address breaking news effectively.
With this critical transition, CBS News is at a crossroads. The network must not only regain viewer trust but also navigate the turbulent waters of internal dynamics and audience expectations. The pressure is on Dokoupil to deliver compelling news content and restore the program’s prestige while facing the scrutiny of a network in flux.
Stay tuned for further updates as CBS News gears up for this significant leadership change, and the implications it holds for the future of evening news programming.