Saturday, January 3, 2026

Not Everyone On Board for CBS Evening News Strategy

CBS' Tony Dokoupil

New CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil sparked backlash on social media after releasing a New Year's Day video promising to prioritize the "average American" over "advocates, academics or elites" and criticizing legacy media for missing major stories.

In the video posted to CBS platforms, Dokoupil cited examples like NAFTA, the Iraq War, Russiagate, COVID lockdowns, Hunter Biden's laptop, and "the president's fitness for office" as issues where the press relied too heavily on elite perspectives, eroding public trust.

"We’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American," Dokoupil said. "Or we put too much weight in the analysis of academics or elites, and not enough on you. And I know this because at certain points, I have been you."

He pledged transparency and accountability, stating viewers come first—"not advertisers, not politicians, not corporate interests," including CBS owners—and urged audiences to hold him accountable starting with his debut on January 5, 2026.

Critics on X were swift and skeptical. One user, Dr. Kevin Young, wrote, “CBS News has fallen. Americans must now rely on international news outlets rather than US based state run media for factual journalism.”Another mocked: “Why is CBS posting Tony Dokoupil’s Fox News audition tape?”


Positive Reactions

Conservative outlets and commentators largely praised the moves as a long-overdue acknowledgment of media bias and a step toward rebuilding trust.
  • Fox News highlighted Dokoupil urging viewers to "hold him accountable," framing it as addressing the "media trust crisis."
  • The Gateway Pundit called it "panic mode" for legacy media, applauding his vow to report "for you, not the left."
  • Commentators like Jonathan Turley expressed delight, noting Dokoupil's promise of transparency and fairness.
  • Some X users encouraged the shift, with one calling it a "high bar" for old-school journalism.
Supporters view this as an effort to counter perceived liberal bias on issues like Hunter Biden's laptop, COVID lockdowns, and Russiagate.

Negative Reactions
  • Critics on the left and within CBS accused the changes of pandering to right-wing audiences or injecting pro-Israel bias (tied to Dokoupil's past interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates and Weiss's views).Outlets like The Daily Beast mocked promotional stunts as "humiliating" and "awkward."
  • Staffers reportedly called Dokoupil "mediocre" and the role a "toilet seat," per reports in The Independent.
  • Progressive voices, including Cenk Uygur and Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo, criticized the appointment as favoring "pro-Israel" alignment over merit.
  • X reactions included mockery, with users joking it's a "Fox News audition tape" or declaring "CBS News has fallen," urging reliance on international outlets instead.
Mixed or Skeptical Views

Many expressed doubt that real change would occur, citing CBS's history and Dokoupil's prior roles at MSNBC and CBS Mornings.
  • Skeptics noted "too little, too late" or predicted he'd remain constrained by corporate interests.
  • Some highlighted irony, pointing to recent CBS controversies as undermining his trust pledges.
Overall, the announcement and video amplified debates about media credibility, with enthusiasm from the right, disdain from the left, and widespread skepticism about whether CBS can genuinely shift under new ownership and leadership.
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