Tony Dokoupil has not felt the bias at CBS that his colleagues over at “60 Minutes” claimed on their way out the door of the storied news program.
In a new conversation with The Wall Street Journal published Monday, Dokoupil – the latest anchor of “CBS Evening News” – explained that he hasn’t felt pressured by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss while making the show. Those were the accusations being levied by Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Cecilia Vega as they were fired from “60 Minutes.”
“When they make comments like that, I pay attention,” Dokoupil said. “But I can only speak for what’s happening on this side of the street, and it’s not the experience that I’ve had.”
He added: “When it comes to Bari Weiss, she’s the editor in chief, she runs a 9 a.m. meeting and has lots of ideas. When we like the idea, we use it. If we don’t, and if it doesn’t work for our show, we don’t.”
The “60 Minutes” correspondents were cut from the show last month, with Pelley reportedly fired after a confrontation with newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton, during which he accused Weiss of “murdering” the program.
In response to his firing, Pelley issued a lengthy statement in which he suggested Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison was “casting aside” the news program to curry favor with Donald Trump.
Dokoupil also told the WSJ he has never met Ellison or heard from him about “CBS Evening News.”
“He’s never had a comment about my show,” Dokoupil said. “He’s never called me to complain about coverage. If he tried to, it wouldn’t have an impact.”
