MAGA-Coded CBS Anchor Humiliated Over Substitute’s Show Ratings
The Daily Beast • • entertainment
Key Points:
- CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil has faced declining ratings and on-air mishaps since taking over in January, with his summer stand-in Matt Gutman achieving the show's best ratings in months during Dokoupil's vacation.
- Gutman averaged 4.1 million viewers in his first week as anchor, surpassing Dokoupil's recent numbers and marking the highest viewership in 17 weeks for the program.
- Dokoupil's tenure has been marred by notable incidents, including a chaotic Fourth of July special disrupted by severe weather, a mistaken photo of Kanye West during a report, and logistical issues during President Trump's China trip coverage.
- Industry insiders criticize Dokoupil's decision to take a two-week vacation amid falling ratings, calling it a missed chance to compete with rival anchors and highlighting Gutman's strong performance as a substitute.
- Within CBS News, Gutman is viewed positively by colleagues, sparking internal buzz as he outperformed the regular anchor during this period.
