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CBS Evening News Fires Senior Producer as Dokoupil Relaunch Draws Ratings Bump and Criticism

The tour-style rollout under editor in chief Bari Weiss has sparked newsroom unrest over the program's tone, with questions about independence.

Overview

  • Javier Guzman, the show’s senior broadcast producer, was dismissed after Wednesday’s broadcast, with no official reason given and reports pointing to tensions with executive producer Kim Harvey.
  • Tony Dokoupil’s debut drew roughly 4.4–4.5 million viewers, about 500,000 above the recent average, with a second-night audience near 4.3 million, according to Nielsen figures and CBS News PR.
  • A lighthearted closing salute to Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Miami drew sharp criticism, and the White House reposted the segment with the message, “WE LOVE @SecRubio!”
  • Critics, including political analyst Larry Sabato, faulted a brief Jan. 6 segment for both-sides framing, intensifying broader concerns about editorial direction under Bari Weiss.
  • Dokoupil continues a multi-city “Live From America” tour, broadcasting from locations including Dallas and Minneapolis, after an opening week marked by a teleprompter mix-up and an emotional Miami interview.