This Tony Dokoupil Thing Isn't Working
Lots of flubs, low ratings — is this what Bari Weiss wanted?
www.vulture.comTony Dokoupil’s CBS News ratings have shown a mixed picture since he took over as Evening News anchor in early January 2026. Early reports indicated a solid launch audience, with roughly 4.4–4.5 million total viewers on his first night and a notable uptick versus the prior anchor era, but subsequent weeks softened and fell short of year-ago levels and the top competitors in several key demos. Overall, observers noted a decline in the 25–54 age group during his first week compared with the same period in 2025, even as total viewership remained competitive within CBS News’ recent trends. Please note that ratings figures can vary by week and metric (total viewers vs. 25–54), and sources from January 2026 onward reflect Nielsen measurements and network disclosures that fluctuated throughout the month.[1][2][3][4][5]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest week-by-week Nielsen numbers for CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil and compare them to the year-ago period to give you a precise, up-to-date view.