The revamped CBS Evening News with new anchor Tony Dokoupil generated significant buzz and discussion following his debut—but that attention has not translated into stronger viewership.
According to Nielsen ratings, the program averaged 4.17 million total viewers during Dokoupil's first full week (January 5–11, 2026), marking a sharp 23% decline from the approximately 5.4 million viewers in the comparable year-earlier period under previous anchor Norah O'Donnell.
That earlier week benefited from high-interest coverage of major events, including devastating California wildfires and the run-up to Donald Trump's second inauguration.
The key advertiser demographic of adults 25–54 also dropped 23%, falling to an average of 533,000 viewers from 690,000 a year ago.
The numbers placed CBS a distant third in the evening news race. For context:ABC's World News Tonight averaged 8.08 million total viewers and 989,000 in the 25–54 demo.
NBC's Nightly News averaged 6.73 million total viewers and 992,000 in the demo. While Dokoupil's premiere night (January 5) drew 4.37 million total viewers and 596,000 in the 25–54 group—showing a modest uptick over CBS's recent season averages—the overall weekly performance slipped compared to recent predecessors as well.
For example, the brief dual-anchor stint by John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois in early 2025 had averaged around 4.91 million viewers in its debut week.
The debut has unfolded amid major changes at CBS News under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, including a shift toward viewer-first priorities, on-location reporting from cities across America, and increased emphasis on digital/social engagement. Those efforts showed some positive movement: CBS Evening News saw article traffic surge 229% over 2025 weekly averages, and YouTube total minutes grew 58%.
Still, the linear TV audience erosion continues industry-wide, and Dokoupil's early numbers have sparked debate about the program's direction, format tweaks, and ability to regain ground in a highly competitive time slot. Long-term trends will determine whether the buzz eventually builds into sustained viewership gains.
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