Tony Dokoupil's First Night: A Rocky Start for CBS Evening News

Tony Dokoupil stepped into the big shoes of CBS Evening News anchor with a bold promise. He said he would be more open and honest than the legendary Walter Cronkite. He even shared a video saying his past broadcasts often missed the mark by focusing too much on advocates and not enough on regular people. This idea matched the views of his new boss, Bari Weiss, who also likes to present her perspective as that of the average person. On his first night, Dokoupil interviewed U. S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth about the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The interview was long but didn't really challenge the official story. This raised questions about whether it was an interview or just a press release. Weiss had a similar issue before when she held back a "60 Minutes" segment because it didn't include the administration's side enough.In his official debut, Dokoupil made some bold claims without any sources. He said U. S. military action would destabilize a Russian-Chinese-Iranian base in Venezuela. He also talked about changes to the recommended vaccine schedule for children. But he framed it in a way that made it seem like parents would have more options, when in reality, they would need a doctor's approval for some vaccines. His guest tried to clarify, but Dokoupil seemed more interested in pushing his own narrative. Dokoupil also had some technical issues. He struggled when the order of segments changed, leaving awkward silences. He even joked, "First day, big problems here. " His final segment about a small town in Oregon selling a nude calendar of senior citizens didn't feel like news and lacked any real insight. Bari Weiss has been trying to make changes at CBS News. She even pursued other big names for the anchor role, but they turned her down. Dokoupil might not have the charisma or skill to turn things around. Viewers who want conservative news already have options like Fox News and Newsmax. Meanwhile, the credibility of "60 Minutes" is at risk under Weiss' management. Maybe keeping Dokoupil at the "Evening News" can limit the damage he might cause.