Exclusive | CBS News has picked Tony Dokoupil as – Business News
CBS News has tapped “CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil as anchor of “CBS Evening News,” in keeping with an source with information.
Dokoupil will depart his perch at “CBS Mornings” the place he co-hosts the show with Gayle King and Nate Burleson, and begin his new gig within the new yr, sources mentioned. CBS is anticipated to announce the transfer as quickly as Tuesday.
A CBS spokesperson wasn’t instantly out there for remark.
Tony Dokoupil would be the new host of “CBS Evening News.” CBS through Getty Images
Dokoupil, 44, has been a frontrunner for the job and a favourite of each Bari Weiss, the community’s editor in chief, and Tom Cibrowski, its president, as The Post first reported final week.
A source close to the state of affairs mentioned “CBS Mornings” will seemingly be overhauled, which can imply that King and Burleson will no longer be on the show. A timeline for the revamp, nevertheless, hasn’t been finalized and isn’t anticipated within the close to time period.
King, whose contract is up in May, will proceed to host till then. Insiders mentioned high brass would love King to proceed in one other position at CBS ought to she be moved off this system.
Dokoupil, who joined CBS News in 2016 as a New York-based correspondent, has rapidly risen within the ranks, nabbing an anchor spot on the community’s morning show alongside King in 2018.
Dokoupil will substitute Maurice DuBois (left) and John Dickerson (proper) as sole anchor of the “Evening News.” CBS through Getty Images
He made headlines on the community in October 2024 for his contentious interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates concerning the controversial writer’s pro-Palestinian framing of Hamas’ conflict with Israel final yr.
He ruffled feathers at “CBS Mornings” for the grilling, with then CBS News boss Wendy McMahon and her No. 2 Adrienne Roark, admonishing Dokoupil, who’s Jewish, earlier than staffers and saying his interview wasn’t up to the community’s editorial requirements.
Bari Weiss’ information website, The Free Press, broke the story, revealing the tradition conflict and bias inside the community. Weiss, who was named editor in chief of the community in October, bought the Free Press to David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance for $150 million.
Dokoupil’s promotion comes days after Maurice DuBois, the co-anchor of “CBS Evening News,” introduced his final day on the community could be Dec. 18. A source mentioned DuBois “went rogue
along with his announcement on Instagram final week, rushing up contract negotiations with Dokoupil.
CBS News is anticipated to overtake “CBS Mornings” following Dokoupil’s transfer to “CBS Evening News,” sources mentioned. CBS through Getty Images
Cibrowski denied these claims, saying that the company labored instantly with the anchor on his goodbye post.
DuBois — who’s best recognized for anchoring WCBS-TV in New York — nabbed the spot at “CBS Evening News” with co-anchor John Dickerson final January.
Dickerson revealed in late October that he was leaving the community on the finish of the yr, sparking rumors that Dubois would seemingly comply with go well with. A source close to Dickerson mentioned his final day will likely be Dec. 19.
“CBS Evening News” is anticipated to make use of fill-ins till Dokoupil takes the chair within the new yr.
CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss expressed curiosity in a host of anchors however in the end landed on Dokoupil, the main inside candidate for the anchor job. Getty Images for The Free Press
While Dokoupil has minted himself as a favourite of Weiss, she additionally has mulled different candidates for the “CBS Evening News” chair. Those embody Fox News’ Bret Baier and Dana Perino, however each had been below long-term contracts.
Weiss additionally expressed curiosity in CNN’s Anderson Cooper, a sources close to Weiss advised The Post, however has additionally confronted a restricted price range.
“CBS Evening News” has gone by means of upheaval within the final yr with co-anchors Dickerson and DuBois, who had been within the position slightly below a yr.
Under McMahon, who was ousted earlier this yr, the show had modified its programming to concentrate on “60 Minutes” feature-style reporting, inflicting it to overlook breaking information studies. The show misplaced roughly 1 million viewers below DuBois and Dickerson, who insiders mentioned had no chemistry.
DuBois and Dickerson misplaced roughly 1 million viewers of their short stint co-anchoring the “Evening News.” CBS through Getty Images
Prior to the duo, Norah O’Donnell had anchored the distinguished nightly information show. Although she was in third place, she didn’t see such a catastrophic scores decline.
“Wendy McMahon was so stupid. She thought two men could do a better job than a woman,” fumed a CBS source, who acknowledged that Dokoupil has a “challenge ahead.”
