New CBS Evening News Anchor Faces Tough Debut Amid Comparisons to Iconic Cronkite
Tony Dokoupil, the new CBS Evening News anchor, struggled in his first Monday night program. The premiere, meant to highlight his skills as CBS’ new evening show host, was marred by mistakes that caught viewers and media pundits’ attention.
Dokoupil had a section transition problem switching from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to Arizona Senator Mark Kelly during the show. Live television showed uncertainty when a portrait of Kelly came with a chyron that didn’t match Dokoupil’s script. Dokoupil replied, “Alright, to other news, as you just heard from Jill. Other news, Governor Walz. We’ll do Mark Kelly.” He acknowledged the challenge, saying, “First day!” Big problems on day one,” before asking the production team.
Despite the initial fumble, Dokoupil was able to briefly report on Kelly’s Trump administration disagreements and Walz’s decision not to run again. Another mistake was when Dokoupil called Minnesota the “Great Lakes State,” a nickname for Michigan. New anchors often make live mistakes, but Dokoupil’s recent comments regarding Walter Cronkite, a legendary American journalist, have increased scrutiny.
Before his debut, Dokoupil replied to a viewer’s nostalgia for Cronkite on Instagram, “I can promise you we’ll be more accountable and more transparent than Cronkite or anyone else of his era.” From 1962 until 1981, Cronkite, known as “the most trusted man in America,” anchored CBS Evening News and was lauded for his integrity and thorough coverage of significant historical events.
Media and political critics have criticized Dokoupil’s words and the rough launch. Former NBCUniversal executive Mike Sington called the show “embarrassing,” raising questions about CBS News under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Best-selling novelist and campaigner Don Winslow also attacked Dokoupil’s comparison to Cronkite, saying that while mistakes in live broadcasting are understandable, making such statements before a first broadcast was overconfident and poorly timed.
CBS has hurdles as it transitions from long-standing nightly news traditions to a new generation of anchors. Live television is risky, but viewers and critics will follow the network’s response and Dokoupil’s performance in future shows. All CBS Evening News anchors must meet rigorous standards for accuracy, professionalism, and clarity.
Sources:
- Official CBS News statements
- Official Minnesota State Government webpage
- Official Arizona State Government webpage
- CBS News and ex-NBCUniversal executives’ statements