At a Glance
- Tony Dokoupil mixed up a segment transition on his Jan. 6 debut as CBS Evening News anchor
- He mistakenly introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz while Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly appeared on screen
- Later called Minnesota the “Great Lakes state,” a nickname for Michigan
- Why it matters: The flubs highlight the pressure facing the network’s sixth anchor in a decade amid corporate shake-ups
Tony Dokoupil’s first night in the CBS Evening News chair delivered a candid blooper reel that instantly went viral among media watchers.
On-Air Slip-Up
Mid-broadcast, Dokoupil tried to toss to a Walz report: “To other news, as you just heard from Jill, to other news now, to Gov. Walz.”
Kelly’s photo filled the screen. Without missing a beat, Dokoupil corrected himself:
> “No, we’re gonna do Mark Kelly. First day, first day, big problems here.”
He asked the control room whether they were “going to Kelly” or “Jonah Kaplan,” the correspondent on the Walz piece. After a brief pause, he rolled into the Kelly package.
Moments later, while referencing Minnesota, he dubbed it the “Great Lakes state”-a title that actually belongs to Michigan.
The Backdrop
CBS announced Dokoupil’s move on Dec. 10, replacing departed anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson. His promotion lands amid sweeping changes after Skydance’s $8 billion purchase of Paramount and CBS News’ legal settlement with President Trump.
In October, Bari Weiss-founder of The Free Press-became CBS News editor in chief despite lacking prior network-news management experience. She recently yanked a 60 Minutes segment on deported Venezuelan men, saying it needed more reporting.
Dokoupil told News Of Los Angeles before starting that he feels “excited” yet “a little bit terrifying” taking over the storied broadcast, insisting he serves “the viewer,” not “advertiser, politician or corporate owners.”
Road Ahead
Dokoupil will anchor from Miami on Jan. 7, then hit nine more cities on the “Live from America” tour:
- Dallas
- Denver
- San Francisco
- Detroit
- Minneapolis
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Pittsburgh
CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil airs weeknights at 6:30 p.m. local time.
Key Takeaways
- Dokoupil’s debut featured two on-air mistakes quickly acknowledged live
- The gaffes underscore scrutiny facing CBS News’ frequent anchor turnover
- His upcoming multi-city tour aims to broaden the broadcast’s national reach
