New “CBS Evening News” Anchor Tony Dokoupil Faces On-Air Mishap During Debut Broadcast
Tony Dokoupil, the new anchor of “CBS Evening News,” encountered an unexpected on-air mishap during his official debut broadcast on Monday. The incident occurred when Dokoupil mixed up a segment transition, leading to a moment of confusion that he acknowledged live on camera.
During Monday night’s broadcast, Dokoupil stumbled over a transition between segments, mistakenly blending a story about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz with one about Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
The mix-up was evident as Dokoupil stated, “Other news, as you just heard from Jill… well as to other news now to Gov. Walz, no, we’re going to do Mark Kelly.” He then acknowledged the error by saying, “First day, big problems here,” before moving on to the Kelly segment.
The segment on Mark Kelly focused on the Arizona senator possibly facing demotion from his retired Navy rank of captain. The report detailed how the Navy had issued a letter of censure against Kelly for his involvement in a video that urged service members to defy illegal orders, labeling his actions as an act of sedition.
Following the Kelly story, Dokoupil transitioned to the segment on Tim Walz, stating, “Now we go to Minnesota, a surprise announcement from the Great Lake state there today, Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee.”
Prior to his official debut, Dokoupil made an early appearance covering the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, ahead of his scheduled Monday launch. His appointment as the new anchor of “CBS Evening News” came in the wake of Bari Weiss’ takeover of CBS News following the direction of Paramount chief David Ellison.
In a video released on New Year’s Day, Dokoupil outlined his mission as the show’s new anchor, emphasizing his commitment to prioritizing the perspective of the “average American.”
“I report for you, which means I’ll tell you what I know, when I know it and how I know it. And when I get it wrong, I’ll tell you that too,” Dokoupil affirmed in the video.
