‘CBS Evening News’ Ratings Report: How’s Tony Dokoupil Doing After 5 Months?
What To Know
- CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil has rebounded above 4 million viewers for the first time in weeks.
- Dokoupil’s recent ratings surpass those of his predecessors, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois.
- Despite improvements, CBS Evening News continues to lag behind its competitors on ABC and NBC.
Tony Dokoupil is beginning to bounce back after some of the worst ratings in CBS Evening News history last month.
According to Variety, citing Nielsen numbers for the week beginning May 18, CBS Evening News averaged 4.01 million total viewers, marking the first time in weeks the show has surpassed 4 million viewers. The program was also up in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic, averaging 605,000 viewers.
Both figures were up on the week prior, which averaged 3.806 million total viewers and 503,000 demo viewers, marking the second week in a row the show has posted increases.
Dokoupil took over as CBS Evening News anchor at the start of January after he was moved from CBS Mornings by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. While ratings remained steady in the first couple of months, March saw a downturn, with the show dropping below 4 million viewers, with a low of 3.5 million in the week of March 23.
The show remained below 4 million viewers throughout April, with CBS Evening News marking its second-lowest-rated April this century, and its lowest 25-54 demo rating ever.
With CBS Evening News now back above 4 million, Dokoupil is up on his predecessors, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois. In numbers available from May 2025, Dickerson and DuBois averaged 3.637 million total viewers and 502,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of May 5.
Despite the turnaround, CBS Evening News still trails its competition on ABC News and NBC News.
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir remained at the top spot for the week of May 18, averaging 8.18 million total viewers and 867,000 in the key demo. This was up from 7.889 million viewers the week prior, but down from the 962,000 demo viewers.
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas held onto the second spot with 6.09 million total viewers and 867,000 demo viewers. This was up slightly in total viewers from 5.97 million the week prior and up from 831,000 in the demo.
CBS Evening News, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, CBS
NBC Nightly News, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, NBC
ABC World News Tonight, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, ABC
Conversation38 Comments
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V
I won't watch another Trump News Network. Especially on CBS. So I flipped to the other two.
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G
The networks hate for trump is the reason their ratings are terrible. Move on.
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R
The ratings are bad, because they haven't embraced streaming. People aren't scheduling a time to sit in front of a TV to watch the news once or twice a day.
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M
CBS and Paramount are dead to me
As are their listed advertisers
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C
I am not impressed. He was the conservative voice on cbs mornings, and he is more so now. Done with CBS.
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C
No CBS. Watching ABC or NBC. Once Scott Pelley is gone, the one and only show I’ll watch is CBS Sunday mornings.
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C
Still not watching don't care for him.
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B
I won’t watch Fox News 2 rebirth at CBS News. To me it’s BS news part two.
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S
Don't watch CBS
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E
I watched CBS morning because of Tony..
I also watched David Muir on ABC evening news. Since Tony now is doing evening news, I have switched back to CBS. I don’t think he favors one political ideology over the other. He just tells the story as it is.
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H
what r we really talking about about here? Tony or CBS ? I watched all of the news shows as I record the news and if u stopped watching because u think CBS leans to the right due to its leadership that one thing .Personally I so far have not seen this in him FOX can make one sick to one’s stomach. Give the guy a break and more time
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M
I don't watch CBS news anymore. Used to be a fan and watch the CBS morning news. Can't stand it anymore. And Tony sucks on the evening news. Switched to NBC. I rarely watch any shows on CBS.
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J
I like Tony, I think he's kind of nerdy (and he knows it) and sweet. The CBS news isn't as right-leaning as I feared it would be, especially at first. I also liked John D and Maurice D.
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E
I only watch Tony as I think he’s great!’ Hope he stays!!!
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E
I don’t care how he’s doing because I am boycotting CBS which used to be my go to morning news. Not anymore and done with their affiliates as well!
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G
Just report the news facts fairly.
Get rid of Gail King on the morning show
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M
I don't like how Tony says every time " The Breaking News Is " , come on, is everything Breaking News..... I wish Nora was still there, I liked her best !
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F
Putting aside concerns about how CBS is or isn't presenting the news, I'm not a fan of Mr DuKoupel. I don't find him to be a serious journalist and when interviewing he seems more interested in a show instead of asking serious follow up based on what he is hearing, to get at the truth. There are better options
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G
Like Tony! He’s a bright spot in the evening news! Adds a lot to CBS! Long time fan of CBS!! The network looses me though after the classic & my favorite CBS Sunday Morning … CANNOT watch that awful Margaret Brennan. Anything but a “reporter”!
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L
I still miss Norah O’DONNELL, and Tony is getting the rhythm, I like him on the evening news!
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J
Same for me!
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J
Tony DuKoupel is refreshing and calming in today’s world. Glad Pelley is gone from 60 minutes. He is so full of himself and a bully.
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N
Hang in there Tony ur doing great
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M
It,s only because the lottery results come on afterwards
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T
I meant CBS Sunday morning
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T
NCIS still favorite and CBS morning. PBS is tols
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R
Give Tony a chance he'll show them,the next Peter Jennings
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W
TEMU peter Jenning
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J
I love Tony. 💖 Hang in there my friend and one day you will be on the top. Relax and enjoy the ride!
🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
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C
I agree with Valerie
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R
I like Tony’s delivery and since I was a kid, I have been a loyal viewer of CBS. You will never get the young people to sit down and watch the news unless they are watching with their grandmother. CBS is no longer the network of the past since Trump’s friend took it over. I think Tony isn’t a Trmpster which makes me nervous of his success.
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C
Love Tony Dokoupil!!!
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E
Muir on ABC is unwatchable, he's so rigid he looks like a robot and the ABC coverage is extremely liberal leaning. Llamas on NBC is tolerable but they always manage to find a way to show their TDS. Tony on CBS is in the long list of bad decisions for CBS. Pelley WAS a great anchor but he let his hatred of Trump on and off the air take center stage and that sealed his fate just like Dan Rather making things up to try and tank George W. Bush. CBS has been floundering since Pelley left but they're running out of reputable unbiased reporters and hosts. And I'm not sure how Valerie thinks CBS is in any way pro-Trump. She must have missed the hatchet job CBS did with the Trump and Kamala Harris interviews let alone pro-Liberal, anti-Trump and unfunny Colbert. They all need to take a page from Johnny Carson, he picked on both sides and you never knew what his political belief or party he was aligned with.
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B
Best real news around plus I primarily watch ch 62.1 CBS DETROIT THE BEST SHOWS ARE ON CBS
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L
Fox is the best place to get your news
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E
Newsmax is better than Fox News for honest news reporting with Fox close behind.
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P
Love Tony and watch CBS because of him.
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C
Love Tony, breath of fresh air...left David miur...too too serious and fear mongering. Kind of full of himself. Balance and smart is what I see in Tony
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