CBS News' Tony Dokoupil Says He'll Be 'More Accountable Than Cronkite'
Variety••general
Key Points:
- Tony Dokoupil, the new anchor of "CBS Evening News," pledged the program will be "more accountable and more transparent" than during Walter Cronkite's era, aiming to address declining trust in legacy media.
- Dokoupil criticized the press for prioritizing elite and academic perspectives over those of average Americans, acknowledging that news coverage has often missed key stories and urgent questions.
- His message received mixed reactions, with some skepticism and criticism on social media, prompting Dokoupil to engage directly with commenters defending his approach and authorship of the statement.
- CBS News, under editor Bari Weiss and backed by Paramount Skydance, aims to restore viewer trust with new editorial principles, including a patriotic stance emphasizing America's foundational values.
- Critics remain
