How Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of Bari Weiss’s CBS

journalismApr 28, 2026301,398

Justin Baragona published a deep profile tracing Tony Dokoupil's rapid rise at CBS, portraying Dokoupil as the face of Bari Weiss's reshaped news operation and quoting the phrase 'Zionist Fanatic' to describe the outlet's new slant. The piece lays out concrete episodes: a meeting between Dokoupil and a prominent Israeli activist, a CBS Evening News 'road show' that ran significantly over budget, and internal fallout after Dokoupil's Ta-Nehisi Coates interview. Those details matter because they signal internal power shifts, budget and editorial priorities at CBS that could reshape the network's political coverage and credibility.

Alejandra Caraballo

@esqueer.net

While I'm sad that CBS News is lost as a established media entity, I do love watching Bari Weiss crash and burn because of her incompetence.

A screenshot of an article by Oliver Darcy for *Status*, titled "CBS' Ratings Calamity."
The text reports that new Nielsen data shows Tony Dokoupil's "CBS Evening News" sinking to historic lows, with television executives referring to it as a "train wreck" and a "sinking ship," blaming the decline on Bari Weiss.
Below the headline is a black-and-white photo of Dokoupil looking solemn with the caption: "Tony Dokoupil anchors the 'CBS Evening News' from Amman, Jordan."
The body text explains that for the week of April 20, the broadcast hit its lowest-rated stretch since Dokoupil took over, dropping below the 4 million threshold to average just 3.7 million total viewers, and only 467,000 viewers in the key 25-54 demographic.

69051d ago

Alejandra Caraballo143

All the other executives are savaging her. Turns out being a a sycophant for oligarchs doesn't make you qualified to run a news org.

Kim Noreen15

The Ellisons could've just agreed that they should pay taxes.

Erinn9

I mean the Ellisons DGAF but watching Bari fail is a thing of a beauty

Alissa Thee Italian4

Dan Rather was honored at my college graduation and I also saw him speak about 10 years ago. He *was* CBS News to me for so long. I've also been watching 60 Minutes my entire life. My grandfather always watched it like clockwork. We haven't turned it on since they capitulated in the lawsuit.

Mehdi Hasan

@mehdirhasan.bsky.social

"How Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of ‘Zionist Fanatic’ Bari Weiss’s CBS" Based on interviews with nearly a dozen sources, Justin Baragona dives deep into the controversial and high-profile anchor’s approach to journalism, Trump, Israel, and the fallout in the CBS newsroom.

26451d ago

Rob11

Failing up, the purview of mediocre white men.

Charlee Myers4

I've been a regular viewer of the CBS Evening since I was a child in the early 1960s. Then I saw Dokoupil's introduction to how he was going to pursue the news - by not relying on educated experts - now in our household we make absolutely sure we don't view a minute of this compromised broadcast.

Duke Kaboom4

I'm going to go with blind ambition and moral vacuity?

Brendel

@brendelbored.bsky.social

This is the only national newscast that I could see introducing a wisecracking dog sidekick that reacts to events in the news by saying things like “the fat cats I know eat out of the garbage instead of increasing the deficit, bow wow” and then Tony Dokoupil goes ohhhhhhhhhhh Wally!

12751d ago

Brendel50

Do it Bari, bring us Ozmodiar in the evenings

Joshua Erlich9

Frisky Fridays with Tony Dokoupil

kurivaim 𓃠5

whenever poochie isn't on screen, tony dokoupil should be asking "where's poochie"

Middle-Aged Hegelian2

Think they could get Triumph to jump ship?

Bill H2

Bari would green light that plan, but only after she takes over as anchor. I’d be willing to bet five (5) US Dollars that she’s already floated that idea.

Deion Flanders2

saying this in the Andy Daly as Gil voice “oooooh Golly”

Justin Baragona

@justinbaragona.bsky.social

Some new little nuggets in my Tony Dokoupil profile, such as a meeting with a prominent Israeli activist, his CBS Evening News "road show" going way over budget, the fallout over the Ta-Nehisi Coates interview, and how Dokoupil became Bari Weiss's biggest beneficiary. zeteo.com/p/how-tony-d...

7651d ago

Justin Baragona46

“He’s literally the William Hurt character from the movie ‘Broadcast News,’ one staffer told me about Tony Dokoupil. That same staffer also shared an anecdote about then-CBS president Susan Zirinsky telling Dokoupil "we will carry you" after promoting him to CBS Mornings. zeteo.com/p/how-tony-d...

Bill Grueskin

@bgrueskin.bsky.social

“April 2026 ranked as the second lowest-rated April for CBS Evening News this century in total viewers—and the lowest ever in the 25–54 demographic.” Also: “ABC News announced that World News Tonight delivered its largest seasonal total audience lead over CBS Evening News in at least 34 years” 1/

Tony Dokoupil anchors the "CBS Evening News" from Amman, Jordan. (Photo via CBS News)
"This isn't what a turnaround looks like.
This is what a train wreck looks like."

5551d ago

Zach Rabiroff

@zachrabiroff.com

Congratulations to Tony Dokoupil for being almost one-half as popular with young audiences as Rob Liefeld's YOUNGBLOOD #1.

Indeed, according to Nielsen data obtained by Status, Dokoupil’s most recent week, beginning April 20, marked the lowest-rated stretch in total viewers since he took over the broadcast. The program averaged just 3.7 million viewers—slipping below the once-unthinkable 4 million threshold. In the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic, the show averaged only 467,000 viewers.

6151d ago

J.D. Connor5

Just as The Onion is coming for the Washington Post, so new-look Infowars will be coming for CBS News

Zeteo

@zeteo.com

“That Dokoupil went from the controversy-sparking Coates interview to CBS News’s top anchor chair in little more than a year is not so much about the standard machinations of network newsrooms.” @justinbaragona.bsky.social dives deep into the career of Tony Dokoupil: zeteo.com/p/how-tony-d...

3951d ago

Jesse Hawken

@jessehawken.bsky.social

Tonight on the CBS Evening News: the debut of Whiskey Mondays with Tony Dokoupil, sponsored by Jack Daniels

3452d ago

network engineer gone rogue obviously

@rogueneteng.bsky.social

is it because a) tony dokoupil is a piece of shit b) bari weiss is a piece of shit c) david ellison is a piece of shit d) katy tur is a piece of shit or e) all of the above? my vote is E

1151d ago

Damon Agnos

@damonagnos.bsky.social

CBS News head Bari Weiss receiving a standing ovation on Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil

“Digital prophet” Shingy with vaguely Weissian glasses and forehead waving to the audience at some dumb event

1051d ago

CherylTruth42

@cheryltruth.bsky.social

Katy Tur is married to new MAGA anchorman on CBS/Paramount, Tony Dokoupil

252d ago

PMC Vanguardist

@tylerboschert.bsky.social

out: Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil in: Stereochemistry Tuesday with PMC Vanguardist

551d ago

kurivaim 𓃠

@kuriva.im

whenever poochie isn't on screen, tony dokoupil should be asking "where's poochie"

551d ago

Funkybat - Kevin W.

@funkybat.bsky.social

Since it was CBS News, obviously that cunt Bari Weiss was tasked with creating a platform for him to blather his narrative about the “necessary ballroom” or whatever. I think he was angry that O’Donnell wasn’t a complete obsequious stooge like Tony Dokoupil or someone else from CBS would’ve been.

452d ago

215 Pounds on the Moon, in 1/6 Gravity, Maybe.

@215poundsonthemoon.bsky.social

She's married to another git, Tony Dokoupil. They deserve each other.

352d ago

3 sources

open.substack.comHow Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of ‘Zionist Fanatic’ Bari Weiss’s CBS zeteo.comHow Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of ‘Zionist Fanatic’ Bari Weiss’s CBS themirror.comTony Dokoupil fans divided as he shares Melania Trump's outrage at Jimmy Kimmel

How Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of Bari Weiss’s CBSjournalism Andrzej Poczobut freed in reported Poland, Belarus prisoner swapjournalism

How Tony Dokoupil Became the Face of Bari Weiss’s CBS

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