Trouble for Tony Dokoupil: 'CBS Evening News' Viewership Continues to Drop as Network Faces Intense Struggles After Bari Weiss' Right-Leaning Overhaul
Tony Dokoupil's ratings continue to plummet.
March 2 2026, Updated 4:09 p.m. ET
Tony Dokoupil's tenure as CBS News' evening anchor continues to teeter on thin ice, RadarOnline.com can report, after another down week in the ratings.
Dokoupil was handpicked to be the network's savior by new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who herself was hired by MAGA-friendly David Ellis to bring an "anti-woke" approach to the struggling newscast – but so far, it seems to be backfiring.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
The CBS Evening News host lingers in last place among network newscasts.
While Dokoupil pulled in over 4 million total viewers for the week, just 458,000 of them came from the advertiser-wanted 25–54 age demo.
The broadcast was down 9% in total viewers and a sharp 21% in the demo compared to the previous week. Even more concerning: year-over-year comparisons show a 7% drop in total viewers and a steep 28% decline in the demo.
"The total audience is aging, and the demo erosion is what keeps executives up at night,” one TV news source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack. "You can’t build a future on shrinking younger numbers."
Dokoupil Can't Compete with His Peers
Dokpupil was brought in by Bari Weiss to turn the network around.
Ratings have been dismal for Dokoupil since his January debut, with numbers down significantly across major advertising demographics. According to Nielsen data obtained by Radar, viewership was down 22 percent compared with the same day last year.
The numbers got worse when compared with other splashy anchor debuts on the Tiffany network – down 17 percent from the start of duo Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson, whom Dokoupil replaced; down 20 percent from Norah O’Donnell before them; and down a whopping 67 percent from Katie Couric's premiere in 2006.
One insider blasted the newscasts and the mistakes.
"It's hard to come from a place of authority when everyone, including you, knows you are just 'Bari's b----'," one industry insider told Radar. "Curious to see how much longer the Ellisons will tolerate this utter defenestration of CBS News before they step in."
Dokoupil's Disastrous Debut
Dokoupil had a rough first week and has not recovered.
The wheels came off almost immediately for Dokoupil, who had a visible meltdown during his first official broadcast on January 5.
After opening the telecast with the latest on the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Dokoupil found himself making news when he became confused about which story to cover next: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's announcement that he would not seek reelection or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's censure of Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
The 45-year-old tried to stammer through a segue.
"To other news, as you just heard from Jill... to other news now, to Gov. Walz," he said as Kelly's photo appeared over his shoulder. "No, we're gonna do Mark Kelly."
That was followed by an awkwardly long silence before the CBS crew finally settled on the Kelly story.
As video of Kelly started to run, a clearly confused Dokoupil shook his head and smirked, before melting down: "First day, big problems here."
Marco Rubi-no
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He was ridiculed for being too soft on Marco Rubio.
Just a day later, Dokoupil, reporting remotely from Miami, ended his broadcast with a glorified salute to former Florida senator and current Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
"Whatever you think of his politics, you've got to admit it's an impressive résumé," Dokoupil told viewers.
He then shared a collection of supposed-to-be comical AI memes that placed a cutout of Rubio in other roles, such as the prime minister of Greenland, the head of Hilton Hotels, the new manager of Manchester United, and, finally, as the new Michelin man.
Dokoupil wrapped up the broadcast gushing: "These memes may not add up to much, but for Rubio’s hometown fans, which are many around here in Miami, it's a sign of how Florida, once an American punchline, has become a leader on the world stage."
"Marco Rubio, we salute you," he added. "You’re the ultimate Florida man."
