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Tony Dokoupil’s CBS Evening News Debut Stumbles, Drawing Scrutiny of Weiss’s Reboot

Early missteps are fueling concern over Bari Weiss’s editorial direction.

Overview

  • Dokoupil’s first scheduled broadcast on Jan. 5 featured a prolonged on-air mix-up and dead air during a transition, prompting his remark, “First day, big problems here.”
  • His hastened Saturday launch focused on the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro through a lengthy interview with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that critics said offered little pushback.
  • Ahead of his debut, Dokoupil pledged to be “more accountable and more transparent than Cronkite,” and promoted a shift toward “average Americans” over experts, drawing sharp reactions.
  • Bari Weiss’s December decision to pull a completed 60 Minutes investigation on abuses in an El Salvador prison ignited internal backlash after the administration declined to comment.
  • CBS planned a 10‑city “Live From America” tour using a chartered jet that was postponed for Venezuela coverage and slated to start in Miami on Tuesday, a plan that staffers criticized for its optics and cost.