"Came to Catch David Muir"... CBS News Shocking Selection of Controversial Anchor Tony Dokoupil

"He is not afraid to ask tough questions. This is how we can regain the trust we have lost."

CBS News has pulled out a shocking card to escape from its perennial third place. They have entrusted the evening news helm to the 'maverick' Tony Dokoupil (44), who faced disciplinary action last year due to a controversial interview.

According to reports from the U.S. broadcasting industry on the 11th (local time), CBS News officially appointed Tony Dokoupil as the new solo anchor of its flagship program 'CBS Evening News' on the 10th.

◆ The Troublemaker Under Disciplinary Action Becomes the Savior

This appointment is the first major decision by Bari Weiss, who took over as editor of CBS News after the Paramount acquisition.

Dokoupil faced internal disciplinary action after asking aggressive questions about the Israel-Palestine issue during an interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates in September 2024. At that time, management criticized him for showing "bias," but the new head Weiss had a different perspective.

Weiss praised him in a statement, saying, "In an era when many have lost trust in the media, Tony Dokoupil is the right person to regain it. He believes in the values of 'old-school journalism', which tracks facts and holds power accountable."

◆ "Surpass David Muir"

Dokoupil will take the anchor seat starting January 5, 2026, facing off against David Muir of ABC and Tom Llamas of NBC, who currently dominate the evening news market.

The situation is not easy. According to Nielsen data, ABC secured an average of 7.83 million viewers this year, while NBC had 6.19 million, and CBS only managed 4.04 million, a 16% drop from the previous year. There were rumors of recruiting Brett Baier from Fox News or Anderson Cooper from CNN, but CBS ultimately chose an internal 'fighter'.

◆ A Journalist with a Drug Dealer Father

Dokoupil, who is also the husband of NBC News anchor Katie Tur, has a unique background. He wrote a memoir titled 'The Last Pirate' about his father, who was a drug smuggler, and has built public recognition since 2019 by hosting 'CBS Mornings'.

Dokoupil expressed his ambition, saying, "Over the past 20 years, I have traveled across 50 states and met people. I promise viewers trust and honest truth." The media industry is focused on whether he can save the crisis-ridden CBS News.