CBS Evening News Ratings Plummet in Tony Dokoupil Fiasco
CBS Evening News has slipped below 4 million viewers for the first time since Tony Dokoupil became anchor. Filmogaz.com, citing Nielsen figures, reported a weekly average of 3.83 million viewers for the week of March 9.
Audience and demographic trends
The broadcast averaged 468,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic that week. That figure fell from 507,000 the prior week. It also represents a 15% decline from the same quarter last year.
Weekly measurement note
Friday’s edition was retitled and excluded from the weekly average. The omission affected the program’s reported totals.
How rivals performed
Competing nightly newscasts maintained larger audiences. ABC’s World News Tonight led with higher totals and demo numbers.
| Program | Total Viewers (Week of Mar 9) | Adults 25-54 |
|---|---|---|
| ABC — World News Tonight (David Muir) | 8.48 million | 1.03 million |
| NBC — Nightly News (Tom Llamas) | 6.51 million | 946,000 |
| CBS — Evening News (Tony Dokoupil) | 3.83 million | 468,000 |
Early tenure and recent trajectory
Dokoupil took over the anchor role on January 5. His first five-day stretch averaged about 4.17 million viewers. A subsequent week reached roughly 4.6 million viewers.
Since those early numbers, averages have moved back under 4 million. They now resemble the figures posted under Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson.
Editorial controversies and internal turmoil
Bari Weiss joined as CBS News editor-in-chief last October. She promoted Dokoupil to the evening anchor post.
Both Dokoupil and Weiss have faced criticism for their editorial choices. Critics say some coverage appeared overly lenient toward the Trump administration.
Specific criticisms
- Technical problems disrupted Dokoupil’s debut broadcast.
- His handling of January 6 coverage drew rebuke from some observers.
- He also faced scrutiny for airing an interview with his own mother.
Staff departures
CBS News has experienced multiple exits in recent weeks. Departures included top producers and various on-air reporters.
One high-profile on-air departure reported was Anderson Cooper, who announced he will leave 60 Minutes at season’s end.
The ratings plummet has intensified scrutiny of the network’s strategy. Industry observers are watching how leadership responds. CBS Evening News airs weekdays at 6:30/5:30c.
