Shifting from the desk to the desk, Tony Dokoupil has been chosen as the brand new anchor for CBS Night Information. The 44-year-old broadcast journalist was a information correspondent for NBC Information and MSNBC earlier than turning into a co-host for CBS Mornings in 2019, the place he sat alongside Gayle King, Nate Burleson, and Vladimir Guthiers. He’ll substitute veteran newscaster Maurice DuBois, whose final day on CBS Night Information can be December 18, and make his debut close to the beginning of the brand new 12 months.
Tony Dokoupil to guide CBS Night Information in January
CBS introduced on Wednesday, December 10, that Tony Dokoupil will lead CBS Night Information starting January 5, 2026, with this system airing weekdays at 6:30 PM ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Bari Weiss, the brand new editor-in-chief of CBS Information chosen by Paramount CEO David Ellison in October, had reportedly been eyeing numerous candidates for the position. This consists of Fox Information anchor Bret Baier, as reported by Mediate, and even CNN’s Anderson Cooper, based on Puck, earlier than he signed a brand new cope with the community.
Regardless of taking a look at attainable candidates exterior of the community, CBS settled on Dokoupil for what quantities to an inner promotion. He has familiarity with viewers by way of CBS Mornings and has expertise interviewing influential figures, like JD Vance, Hillary Clinton, and Invoice Gates. On condition that Weiss has an overtly pro-Israel stance, his conversion to Judaism again in 2014, which he mentioned in a prolonged piece at The New Republic, would have seemingly been thought-about as properly.
Through the first month in his new position, which was as soon as crammed by beloved newscaster Walter Kronkite, Dokoupil can be making a cross-country tour of America to fulfill viewers the place they’re.
“After 20 years in journalism, touring by way of all 50 states and speaking with individuals in tons of of far-flung American locations, I understand why a rustic this massive wants a present this formidable,” he stated in an announcement. “For greater than 60 years, the ‘Night Information’ has been a bedrock of that course of. I’m honored to hitch a fearless staff at this necessary second, and with what I can promise is a dedication to belief and the plain fact.”
Weiss believes that Dokoupil has what it takes to make People regain their belief in conventional media. A Pew Analysis research launched in October revealed that solely 56% of U.S. adults say which have a number of or some belief within the data they get from nationwide information organizations, which is down 20 factors since 2016.
“We reside in a time through which many individuals have misplaced belief within the media,” Weiss famous. “Tony Dokoupil is the particular person to win it again. That’s as a result of he believes in old-school journalistic values: asking the onerous questions, following the details wherever they lead and holding energy to account.”
Nonetheless, will probably be a troublesome seat for the him to fill given heated competitors from different networks, together with ABC’s “World Information Tonight” with David Muir, “NBC Nightly Information” that includes Tom Llamas, and different nightly programming from CNN, Fox Information, and MS NOW. People, particularly these beneath the age of 30, are additionally extra prone to get their information from non-linear programming, like social media, podcasts, and YouTube.
Dokoupil’s promotion comes amid a big shake-up at CBS Information, as its father or mother firm Paramount merges with Skydance Media. Earlier this week, it was reported that journalist Matt Gutman from ABC can be shifting to CBS, with hypothesis that he can be a part of the overhaul on CBS Night Information. Nonetheless, with Dokoupil getting into that place, it’s unclear what position Gutman can be taking. Additionally, it’s been rumored that Gayle King can be making her exit at CBS Mornings on the finish of her contract in Might 2026 to step into one other position.
