Tony Dokoupil Named Next Anchor of CBS Evening News Starting January 2026
Tony Dokoupil has been named the next anchor of CBS Evening News, with his tenure set to begin on January 5, 2026. This announcement comes after a period of transition at CBS Evening News, which shifted to a dual-anchor format earlier in the year and saw departures from John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, creating a vacancy.
Bari Weiss, responsible for the promotion, chose Dokoupil as an internal candidate over other considered anchors, such as Bret Baier, Dana Perino, and Norah O’Donnell—all of whom were under long-term contracts. Weiss expressed confidence that Dokoupil would restore trust in the program and embody old-school journalism with a focus on hard questions and accountability.
Tom Cibrowski described Dokoupil as authentic, compassionate, unafraid, and the right fit for the evening-news anchor role. Dokoupil joined CBS News in 2016 after serving as a correspondent for MSNBC, and he has co-hosted CBS Mornings since 2019. His appointment marks a transition from morning to evening broadcasting.
In 2024, Dokoupil was involved in controversy following a combative interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates regarding a book. CBS executive Adrienne Roark stated that the interview violated impartiality guidelines, and CBS News leadership faced criticism from Shari Redstone over how the situation was handled.
Upon the announcement, Dokoupil expressed that he was honored to join a fearless team dedicated to trust and the plain truth. To inaugurate his tenure, CBS plans a cross-country tour coinciding with the transition amid a history of frequent anchor changes at the program.
