New ratings data has revealed just how poorly CBS Evening News is performing under Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss’ leadership.
CBS Evening News has struggled to gain a foothold since relaunching with new anchor Tony Dokoupil in January.
Ahead of the end of the first quarter later this week, the news program is on track for its lowest-rated first quarter this century, across both total viewers and the crucial 25-54 demographic, Status reports, citing preliminary Nielsen ratings. The program is currently averaging 4.3 million viewers; in the 25-54 demographic, ratings are down by 18 percent at just 541,000 viewers.
To make matters worse, the network’s morning show—of which Dokoupil, 45, used to be co-host—is also failing to attract viewers, with CBS Mornings experiencing its lowest-rated quarter on record, averaging 1.8 million total viewers, down from 13 percent in the same quarter last year.
The disastrous ratings are a blow to Weiss, 41, who was installed as editor-in-chief after billionaire nepo baby and Paramount Skydance owner David Ellison acquired her outlet, The Free Press, for $150 million in October. She had no experience in broadcast journalism and reports directly to Ellison.
The network has suffered multiple setbacks under Weiss’ leadership, including losing key talent like 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper and being torched by departing employees on their way out the door amid historic layoffs and closures, including CBS’ celebrated radio division.
Ratings for the network’s evening news program have struggled significantly despite the introduction of Dokoupil, consistently trailing behind similar programs on rival networks. In addition, after Dokoupil was named anchor in early January, CBS Evening News experienced its worst January this century, a record it would go on to replicate for the entire first quarter.
The Daily Beast has contacted CBS for comment. A spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Status for comment.
“Bari believed it couldn’t get any worse at CBS News and that everything needed to be blown up to turn it around,” a veteran television news executive told Status. “Guess what? Wrong again. It actually can get worse. Ratings can go even lower.”
Under Weiss, CBS has adopted a significantly more Trump-friendly editorial stance that was on full display in December when Weiss attempted to censor an episode of 60 Minutes, declining to air it until changes were made.
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi pushed back on claims that the segment needed additional reporting, telling her colleagues at the time, “Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision; it is a political one.”
Dokoupil himself has also faced scrutiny for appearing to be overly deferential to the Trump White House, praising the president’s State of the Union address and repeating White House talking points about Trump’s war on Iran.
The New York Post reported last week that CBS Evening News producer Kim Harvey’s position may be in jeopardy as a result of the disastrous ratings, with one CBS source telling the Post that Harvey may become a “sacrifice...to the ratings gods.”
“It’s pretty terrible. Once you’re under 4 million, you’ve got to be worried that you’re in a death spiral,” another CBS insider said. “If they can’t retain an audience in the middle of a war, God help you when the war ends.”
Other industry insiders concurred, with a TV news veteran telling Status on Saturday, “The first rule of television medicine is do no harm—and Bari has done so much harm.”
