Tony Dokoupil Tells WSJ He Can’t Relate To Dismissed Colleagues’ Claims of Bias at CBS

(Photo by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil told The Wall Street Journal that he can’t relate to accusations of bias at the network as made by some of his former colleagues.

In an article out Monday, Dokoupil put no credence in negative comments made by former 60 Minutes correspondents Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Cecilia Vega about editor in chief Bari Weiss’s alleged interference in the newsroom.

“Weiss’s takeover of CBS News and her editorial decision-making have led to spats with the network’s top talent that have spilled into public view,” the Journal reported.

“The network recently parted ways with Sharyn Alfonsi, a ’60 Minutes’ correspondent who, in December, accused Weiss of holding a segment critical of the Trump administration for political reasons,” the article said, while “Pelley and Vega also accused management of making editorial decisions for political reasons, which a CBS spokesman denied.”

Vega and the show’s executive producer were fired, as was network veteran Scott Pelley after he accused Weiss of “murdering” the famed news magazine.

“When they make comments like that, I pay attention,” Dokoupil told the paper. “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.”

Dokoupil was hand-picked by Weiss to lead the Evening News and hit some on-air rough patches early on. Snafus aside, “Dokoupil insists there are no tea leaves to read, at least as far as his program is concerned,” the report said.

“When it comes to Bari Weiss, she’s the editor in chief, she runs a 9 a.m. meeting and has lots of ideas,” Dokoupil said. “When we like the idea, we use it. If we don’t and if it doesn’t work for our show, we don’t.”

“Likewise, he said, ‘I’ve never met David Ellison,'” Dokoupil said of Paramount CEO and owner, whose billionaire father is a good friend of President Donald Trump.

“He’s never had a comment about my show. He’s never called me to complain about coverage. If he tried to, it wouldn’t have an impact,” Dokoupil said.

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