Tony Dokoupil, hired by Bari Weiss to help turn around the ratings-plagued CBS Evening News, has vowed that the nightly news program he will anchor next week will be “more accountable and more transparent” than it was under legendary broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite.
On Thursday, Jan. 1, Dokoupil shared his thoughts on the current state of journalism and how CBS Evening News will change with him as anchor.
“People don’t trust us as much as they used to,” Dokoupil said in a video uploaded to social media and the store’s website. “Too many stories are missed by the press. And we’re not alone. It’s all legacy media, because we take into account the perspective of advocates, not the average American. Or we focus too much on academic and elite analysis and not enough on you.”
“And I know this because at one point I was you. I felt the same way. I felt like what I was seeing and hearing on the news didn’t reflect what I was seeing and hearing in my own life. And I thought the most pressing questions were simply not being asked.”
Dokoupil’s message was met with a healthy dose of skepticism and some scorn, and as Guardian media reporter Jeremy Barr highlighted, Dokoupil responded directly to several critics on his Instagram account.
One commenter wrote, “I grew up on Cronkite. It’s a shame that CBS lost Tiffany’s shine. But anyway, good luck.” Dokoupil responded, “What did you like most about him? We can promise you more accountability and transparency than Cronkite or anyone else of his time.”
Journalist Don Darler, a former correspondent for CBS News, posted, “Tony, you know I have a lot of respect and love for you. I know you are a solid journalist and the rightful successor to the big desk at CBS News. But this sounds like something Bari Weiss would have written.” Dokoupil replied, “No, I wrote it. I spent the first half of my career as a print journalist. If the Internet hadn’t been invented, I probably would still be a print journalist. Writing is my first form.”
Bravo host Andy Cohen also commented on Dokoupil’s post, saying, “Are you listening to too many experts? Oh my god.” To which Dokoupil responded, “Andy, I love you, but can you really think of an example where academic advice was narrow or bad? I basically gave you a multiple-choice list. It’s possible that you lived outside of, or above, the issues I mentioned.”
In his original post, Dokoupil said viewers were questioning CBS News’ coverage of topics such as “NAFTA and the Iraq War.” “Hillary Clinton’s Emails or Russiagate.” and “Recently, things like coronavirus lockdowns, Hunter Biden’s laptop, or presidential suitability.”
Meanwhile, another commenter responded to Dokoupil’s post: “We hardly believe this is true. We watched your company contort itself to make itself attractive to the (sic) new parent company. Share the news in an unbiased manner. You will present the stories of everyday Americans struggling with addiction, unemployment, etc., but the policy decisions that contribute to their plight will remain in the background.Call me doubtful and show me wrong.” To which Dokoupil replied, “Hey, I can hear you. It’s just words right now. But please take it seriously.”
One of the most liked comments on Dokoupil’s New Year’s Day post was, “Too late… Bari Weiss destroyed this network.” Another commenter wrote, “It’s just insane to basically say, ‘We’re going to ignore the facts coming out of academia because they’re unpleasant to you.'”
Dokoupil was appointed anchor of the CBS Evening News last month by CBS News editor and Free Press founder Weiss. Paramount Skydance acquired the Free Press in a reported $150 million deal and appointed Weiss to oversee editorial operations at CBS News, an effort that David Ellison said was an effort to restore audience trust in CBS News.
On Friday, the CBS Evening News announced “five simple principles” to guide its reporting. One of them reads, “We love America,” and explains that the country’s “fundamental values of freedom, equality and the rule of law make us the last best hope on earth,” according to CBS News.
RELATED: CBS Evening News says ‘We Love America’ is now one of its guiding principles
