NEED TO KNOW
- Tony Dokoupil pledged to prioritize viewers over advertisers, politicians, and company pursuits in his new anchor function
- His debut comes amid scrutiny over CBS Information’ editorial independence and up to date controversies involving its guardian firm
- Dokoupil emphasised transparency, accountability, and rebuilding belief with viewers annoyed by legacy media’s previous missteps
Tony Dokoupil is making a direct attraction to viewers forward of his first night time within the anchor chair.
Days earlier than CBS Night Information relaunches as The CBS Night Information with Tony Dokoupil on Jan. 5, 2026, the longtime correspondent issued a pointed assertion about belief, independence, and who he believes the published finally serves.
“So right here’s my promise to you as we speak and each time you see me on this chair: you come first. Not advertisers. Not politicians. Not company pursuits. And, sure, that does embrace the company house owners of CBS,” Dokoupil mentioned. “I report for you.”
The remarks arrive as CBS Information faces continued scrutiny over editorial independence amid a lot of important management and strategic modifications taking place behind-the-scenes with the community and its guardian firm, the lately fashioned Paramount Skydance.
Final yr, previous to his re-election and previous to Skydance Media’s acquisition of Paramount World, President Donald Trump sued CBS over the modifying of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Paramount later paid $16 million to settle the lawsuit with out an admission of wrongdoing — main many to invest the payout for Trump’s case was merely an try to curry favor with the Trump administration and the FCC forward of the Paramount-Skydance merger.
That skepticism solely elevated in December, CBS Information’ new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss landed within the sizzling seat by pulling a 60 Minutes story hours earlier than air, claiming the piece — centered on Venezuelan males deported by the Trump administration to a jail in El Salvado — wanted additional reporting.
Towards that backdrop, Dokoupil framed his debut as an effort to rebuild belief with viewers of what CBS payments as America’s longest-running broadcast.
“Rather a lot has modified for the reason that first particular person sat on this chair,” Dokoupil mentioned in his ready assertion. “However for me, the largest distinction is individuals don’t belief us like they used to. And it’s not simply us. It’s all of legacy media.”
Dokoupil mentioned these considerations have adopted him for greater than twenty years of reporting throughout the nation, from conversations with neighbors in West Virginia to these in New York Metropolis.
“Generally individuals wanna discuss to me about our protection of NAFTA or the Iraq Conflict,” he mentioned. “Different instances, it’s all about Hillary Clinton’s emails or Russiagate. Or extra lately, COVID lockdowns, Hunter Biden’s laptop computer or the president’s health for workplace.”
“The purpose is on too many tales the press has missed the story,” he continued. “As a result of we’ve taken under consideration the angle of advocates and never the common American. Or we put an excessive amount of weight within the evaluation of lecturers or elites and never sufficient on you.”
Dokoupil went on to confess he has felt that disconnect himself.
“At sure factors, I’ve been you,” he mentioned. “I’ve felt like what I used to be seeing and listening to on the information didn’t replicate what I used to be seeing and listening to in my very own life. And that probably the most pressing questions merely weren’t being requested.”
He mentioned his method as anchor would middle on transparency and accountability. “Which implies I let you know what I do know, after I realize it and the way I do know it,” Dokoupil mentioned. “And after I get it fallacious, I’ll let you know that, too.”
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The daddy of 4 and former CBS Mornings anchor pledged to use the identical customary throughout the political spectrum.
“I’m going to speak to all people, and maintain everybody in public life to the exact same customary,” he mentioned. “In any case, I turned a journalist to speak to individuals.”
Dokoupil closed by straight inviting viewers to maintain him accountable. “I’m Tony Dokoupil, the anchor of The CBS Night Information,” he mentioned. “Maintain me to it.”
The CBS Night Information with Tony Dokoupil begins Jan. 5 (at 6:30 p.m. native time) on CBS. The debut episode will likely be broadcast from San Francisco as a part of Dokoupil’s Dwell From America tour that spans 10 cities over 10 days with stops in Denver (1/6), Dallas (1/7), Atlanta (1/8), Miami (1/9), Detroit (1/12), Minneapolis (1/13), Chicago (1/14), Cincinnati (1/15) and Pittsburgh (1/16).