Whiny CBS News staffers rage as new Evening News anchor rids show of past woke excesses and ratings soar
CBS News has undergone a massive leadership change, and some staffers are reportedly up in arms, calling the new 'MAGA-friendly' editorial decisions a 'total disaster.'
The network has been at the forefront of criticism since its parent company, Paramount, was purchased by billionaire David Ellison, a Trump ally, last year.
Since then, CBS has experienced an upheaval, including the hiring of Bari Weiss as the news division's editor-in-chief.
The network's flagship program, CBS Evening News, now has a new face. Tony Dokoupil took over the position this week from previous anchors, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois.
Dokoupil launched his tenure on the evening broadcast with features on high-ranking officials in the Trump administration, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
Millions watched Dokoupil anchor the refreshed broadcast with 4.4 million viewers tuning in according to Nielsen figures, with 596,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic.
The number reflects an increase of about 500,000 viewers over what the program had been averaging under Dickerson and DuBois.
It marks a 9% increase in total viewers and a 20% gain in the demographic compared to the current-season average for the program.
Compared to the previous Monday, which was a holiday week, the newscast was up 6% in viewers and 26% in the key demographic demo.
Nonetheless, Dokoupil's debut still came third among the evening newscasts and fell way behind both ABC World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News.
Dokoupil's debut even fell short of Dickerson and DuBois' debut last January by 19% and 24%, respectively.
But the changes in the network have some staffers skeptical of CBS's direction, with one insider telling independent journalist Oliver Darcy of Status News that the company is a 'total disaster.'
A new report has claimed that insiders at CBS News are frustrated with the network's direction, including anchor Tony Dokoupil's promotion to the Evening News
CBS has undergone massive changes in the past year, with new ownership and a new editor-in-chief
The network drew criticism this week for a feature on Secretary of State Marco Rubio that critics said was 'a glowing tribute.' Pictured above is a still from the broadcast
Darcy said that multiple insiders painted a picture at CBS where the network was 'led by unserious people who are hellbent on taking it into far friendlier waters for the Trump administration.'
CBS News historically leaned left, with a 2014 Pew Research survey finding that over half of the network's viewers identified as 'consistently liberal.'
However, the network has appeared to move right under new leadership, with Dokoupil reportedly a part of the transition.
He anchored Tuesday's broadcast from Miami and devoted time to spotlighting Rubio, calling the secretary the 'ultimate Florida man.'
'Marco Rubio, we salute you,' Dokoupil added.
Darcy called the portfolio on Rubio 'a glowing tribute' and an 'extraordinary editorial decision.'
As the newly installed evening anchor, Dokoupil has launched a segment called Live from America.
The tour includes 10 stops in cities across the US to connect with viewers outside of the media hubs in New York and Washington DC.
Evening News Anchor Tony Dokoupil (pictured) has put patriotism at the forefront of his values and launched his tenure with a Live from America tour
CBS News featured a segment on Rubio, which included AI generated images of the secretary
CBS News leased a private jet for the tour, according to the Los Angeles Times. However, the plan was delayed due to the invasion of Venezuela.
Insiders told Darcy that Dokoupil's Live from America tour was 'deeply inauthentic' in light of the anchor's introductory statement, which railed against the mainstream media for catering to 'academics or elites.'
Dokoupil has made it clear that patriotism is one of his values. He unveiled five principles to guide his broadcast, which included: 'We love America.'
His other four principles were, 'We work for you,' 'We report on the world as it is,' 'We respect you,' and 'We respect tradition.'
Although Dokoupil has only just assumed the position on the Evening News, he's already been widely criticized.
During his first broadcast, he suffered technical difficulties when it appeared his teleprompter was set to the wrong segment.
Producers projected an image of Senator Mark Kelly onto the screen, but Dokoupil began reading a script about Governor Tim Walz.
'First day, first day, big problems here. Uh, are we going to Kelly here or are we gonna go to Jonah Kaplan?' he said.
The telecast went viral on social media, with some speculating that a liberal staffer sabotaged the program.
'Welcome to the resistance, teleprompter person,' NYT bestselling author Shannon Watts wrote on X.
Bari Weiss (pictured) took over as the network's editor-in-chief last year
David Ellison (right), pictured above with his father, billionaire Larry Ellison (left) purchased CBS's parent company, Paramount, last year
Former NBC Universal Senior Executive Mike Sington said the broadcast was 'embarrassing,' writing on X: 'The inexperience of new CBS News chief Bari Weiss is on full display.'
Insiders previously told the Daily Mail that Weiss 'made a fool of herself' by chasing big-name broadcasters only to promote Dokoupil as the Evening News heir.
'Big league ambitions, little league talent,' the source added.
'Looks like she is now rummaging through the bargain bin of personalities in tapping Dokoupil as the new face of the Evening News,' another said.
The Daily Mail has reached out to CBS News and Paramount for comment.
