In a blistering on-air critique, broadcaster Megyn Kelly has condemned the recent overhaul of the CBS Evening News, controversially describing the rebrand as a 'lesbian' makeover and directly linking the show's new direction to its editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.
A Scathing On-Air Diatribe
The 55-year-old former Fox News anchor did not mince words during her show, bluntly asserting that the network's choice of presenter, Tony Dokoupil, was influenced by Weiss's sexuality. Kelly claimed Weiss, an 'out lesbian' in a same-sex marriage, was imposing her own vision of what female viewers desire. 'This is a lesbian's idea of what women want. Like, he's sweet, he's soft, this is what this is going to sell,' Kelly stated.
Kelly also targeted Dokoupil personally, dubbing him 'T'Oprah' to suggest an overly emotional, therapeutic delivery akin to a daytime talk show host. 'He's crying and constantly trying to therapize us through the news,' she mocked. Her criticism extended to a monologue delivered by Dokoupil on his 5th January debut broadcast, where he told viewers, 'You may not agree with everything you hear... but we trust you to decide for yourselves.' Kelly labelled this approach as 'patronizing' and said it gave off 'Stuart Smalley vibes', a reference to a saccharine Saturday Night Live character.
Audience Exodus and Ratings Disaster
The verbal assault from Kelly comes amid stark viewing figures that suggest the rebrand is struggling to connect. According to a report in Variety, the CBS Evening News has shed nearly a quarter of its audience, with viewership down 23% compared to the same period last year. The decline represents a significant setback for the network's flagship programme.
The data reveals an even more troubling picture for Dokoupil's personal launch. His debut ratings were 19% and 24% lower than the premieres of his predecessors, John Dickerson and Michelle DuBois, in January of the previous year. Kelly argued this style is fundamentally mismatched with the CBS audience, stating, 'He will not work on CBS, which is where, like the most serious, somber news consumers go for their news. They do not want “T'Oprah.'
Questioning Leadership and Experience
Kelly rounded on Bari Weiss's qualifications to oversee a broadcast news division, highlighting a perceived lack of hands-on television experience. 'I'm sorry, but Bari has zero television experience, ZERO,' Kelly declared. 'The broadcast piece of it matters, and she doesn't know what she's doing. It shows.'
The commentator's broadside, which ties the programme's creative direction and falling ratings to the identity of its senior editor, has ignited a fierce debate about media bias, presentation styles, and the challenges facing traditional network news in a fragmented digital landscape. The network now faces the dual challenge of addressing the ratings slide and the very public criticism of its new editorial leadership and on-air talent.
