CBS Evening News kicked off 2026 with its lowest-rated anchor debut in recent history, as Tony Dokoupil’s first week drew 4.17 million viewers—a 23% plunge from the prior year’s 5.4 million. This sharp drop underscores the mounting pressures on traditional broadcast news, where wildfire-driven spikes last January inflated comparisons and viewer habits continue shifting to digital alternatives.
Ratings Decline
Total viewership for the January 5-9 period fell to 4.17 million from 5.4 million the year before, when California wildfires beginning January 7, 2025, boosted audiences. The crucial 25-54 demographic mirrored this, dropping 23% to 533,000 from 690,000. Dokoupil’s opening night on January 5 pulled 4.4 million—up 9% from the 2024-2025 season average of 4.171 million but still 22% below last year’s elevated benchmark. Compared to past debuts, this lagged: Norah O’Donnell’s 2019 start averaged 5.6 million, Jeff Glor’s 2017 premiere hit 7 million, and Scott Pelley’s 2011 launch reached 5.72 million.
Evening News Legacy
CBS has lingered in third place for years, averaging 4.171 million viewers in the 2024-2025 season. O’Donnell anchored until January 23, 2025, followed by a brief co-anchor stint with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois starting January 27. All major networks—ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir at 8.08 million and NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas at 6.73 million—saw 9% year-over-year dips but held firm leads, with CBS capturing roughly half of ABC’s audience. These figures highlight entrenched structural erosion in linear TV, where ad revenue hinges on size and demographics.
Leadership Transformation
Paramount Skydance’s October 2025 acquisition of The Free Press brought Bari Weiss on as CBS News editor-in-chief, reshaping direction amid anchor shifts. Dokoupil transitioned from CBS Mornings to evenings, pledging focus on “average Americans” over elites in a New Year’s message. Weiss’s New York-based role followed O’Donnell’s exit, aiming to differentiate CBS in a polarized landscape. Critics, including some staff, question if this appeals too heavily to conservatives, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries assailed a January 6 anniversary segment on January 13 as overly balanced, likening it to partisan outlets.
Digital and Demographic Shifts
YouTube views for CBS Evening News jumped 58% week-over-week during the debut, pointing to accelerating migration from broadcast to streaming. Yet the 25-54 demo’s 23% fall to 533,000—barely above Q4 2025’s 502,000—threatens ad dollars, potentially costing tens of millions annually amid Paramount’s merger strains. Since 2006 peaks, when Katie Couric debuted to 13.6 million, evening news has fragmented across cable, YouTube, and platforms favoring younger viewers. Dokoupil covered early breaks like the January 3, 2026, U.S. operation capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, but a domestic pivot may curb global draw versus rivals.
Uncertain Outlook
CBS beat its Q4 2025 linear average of 4.03 million, touting digital gains, yet third-place woes persist without bold innovation. Changes align with Trump’s second term start, intensifying debates on balance versus equivalency in coverage. Success hinges on blending Weiss’s vision—prioritizing viewer accountability and everyday issues—with retention of core audiences and digital expansion. As fragmentation deepens, CBS must prove repositioning fosters connection or risks widening gaps in a crossroads for broadcast news.
Sources:
Nielsen ratings data via Vanity Fair, MSN/Raw Story, Deadline
TheWrap, Mediaite coverage of Hakeem Jeffries critique
Hollywood Reporter, NBC Right Now reporting
AdWeek evening news season ratings analysis
BarrettMedia commentary on Tony Dokoupil strategy
CBS News official announcements on Bari Weiss hire