CBS News a 'sinking ship' as pro-Trump turn drives ratings to 'unthinkable' lows: report

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

April 29, 2026 7:16AM ET


CBS Evening News is experiencing a catastrophic collapse in viewership under Bari Weiss's leadership and veteran television executives are sounding the alarm that the controversial Free Press founder's editorial direction — marked by flagrant Trump support delivered by handpicked anchor Tony Dokoupil — is driving longtime viewers away in unprecedented numbers. According to media watchdog Status, the damage is undeniable and accelerating.

The numbers are disastrous, writes Oliver Darcy, founder of Status. Nielsen data obtained by the media watchdog demonstrates that during the week beginning April 20, CBS Evening News hit its lowest viewership since Dokoupil took over the broadcast. The program averaged just 3.7 million viewers — "slipping below the once-unthinkable" 4 million threshold. In the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic, the show averaged only 467,000 viewers.

The report states that the broadcast has now logged three consecutive weeks under 4 million viewers, a prolonged slump that was once unimaginable, which is doubly bad news with summer approaching where viewership traditionally drops.

According to Status, the problem is not just limited to the evening programming. Status is reporting Gayle King's "CBS Mornings" is also struggling, signaling a network-wide public image problem under Weiss's leadership. The show posted its worst ratings on record in the first quarter of 2026 and saw its lowest-rated April on record in both total audience and the 25-54 demographic.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/bari-weiss-2676828025/

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Link to Status REPORT (email required) - CBS’ Ratings Calamity

[Skittles]

1. if we wanted pro-Trump garbage, there's always Fox Fucking News

FUCK Bari Weiss

[wolfie001]

6. I hope she has a day of reckoning

Bootlicker to a party that literally hates her sexual identity. tRUMP seems to have a group of them in his diaper-filled administration of turds.

[Skittles]

23. repukes LOVE using these self-loathing pieces of utter SHIT

FITS IN VERY WELL with the traitorous greedy old pig party

[Lonestarblue]

43. It's not just her. It's also the billionaires Larry Ellison and son David who are big Trump supporters.

They hired Weiss to do exactly what she is doing to turn CBS into Trump propaganda. Viewers left in droves, just as subscribers did when Bezos turned the Washington Post into a mouthpiece for Trump.

[Skittles]

46. oh I know

they are systematically turning all media into rightwing garbage, which is a classic feature of fascism

[Politicub]

2. But... but... Bari Weiss, though

I had never heard of her before all of the bullshit with CBS. Or the Free Press, and I read news all the time. I spend less time these days because of Trump, but you can't escape his miasma. When I hear Free Press, I think of the Detroit Free Press.

I still don't get why the reins were handed over to Weiss. I never noticed her columns in the NYT, but I was on a news diet for the Trump years. I would read the opinion section often, though.

[ybbor]

4. Lifetime reader of the Detroit Free Press

Your thought was my thought reading this. The Free Press is still a pretty solid publication, with the Det News influence a little bit. Go Tigers! 🐅

[erronis]

10. I always like getting references to the Detroit Free Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer

Good solid reporting and some great columnists.

[wolfie001]

7. Maybe Maggie Haberman recommended her as "reliable"

She's tRUMP's buddy and has access to the corridors of power.

[Crowman2009]

40. Bari Weiss is the Jar Jar Binks of TV news.

Nobody in the audience ask for her, and we wish she would go away. Especially that time she recommended Alan Dershowitz could appeal younger folks?!?!

[wolfie001]

41. Alan "I kept my underwear on!" Dershowitz

[FakeNoose]

3. Do any of us care? No not really...

I'm sorry that Stephen Colbert lost his job. Once he 's really gone I will have no reason to turn on that channel - ever!

[Wednesdays]

5. They haven't just lost me with the news

...but once Colbert finishes up on May 21, that channel is off for us completely.

[C_U_L8R]

8. Bari should have read Humpty Dumpty

Once you break a venerable brand like CBS, there’s no putting it back together.

[Ray Bruns]

9. All I have to say is

[erronis]

11. Digby's view (citing more from the status.news article)

https://digbysblog.net/2026/04/29/a-little-bright-spot-in-your-day-2/

[Buddyzbuddy]

12. Ratings are not the purpose of the purchase.

Last edited Thu Apr 30, 2026, 06:12 AM - Edit history (1)

Propaganda is. Also eliminating a source of "legitimate news". If it gets ratings, great but don't think for 1 second their intentions were to make a profit. At least not through media.

They'll make much more money through control of political power, feeding off of the gov't teat, and the elimination of regulations and future taxes that will be needed to right the ship that is America.

[orangecrush]

15. Nailed it

[dobleremolque]

19. This. A thousand times, this.

The goal is to destroy any reputation for credibility, at the explicit instructions of the oligarch/billionaire owners.

They could not care less if CBS makes money now.

[mwmisses4289]

24. can't propagandize if nobody is watching.

[summer_in_TX]

36. I wish that were true.

All the RW media will give the CBS propaganda a second life by reporting on CBS's "reporting."

[Cha]

31. Well, the Viewers haven't been

feeling the Propaganda, so they're leaving.

I would too if I hadn't left m$m 24 years ago.

Tony Dokoupil can talk to himself.

I get what you're saying.. but this is still good news, and it should show up on the ballots.

[Lucky Luciano]

35. Yup...just like Elon buying twitter.

They control major media. Twitter the company doesn’t make a profit for Elon directly…but it sure does contribute to his global empire’s net worth.

Same with CBS for Ellison.

[mercuryblues]

13. ETTD

[orangecrush]

14. Everything he touches dies

[WestMichRad]

16. Awww.... Ain't that a shame.

[RussBLib]

17. maybe they just want to kill CBS outright

...don't need all that competition anyway. Got too many media outlets; too many journalists who think it's cute to ask tough questions (who? where?), shut it down and sell it off for parts. Fuck history. The owners are billionaires anyway, they can figure out how to take a huge tax break for sinking that ship.

Who's next?

https://russblib.blogspot.com

[llmart]

18. Good!

They jumped on the Trump bandwagon and got exactly what they deserve. Hope the "unthinkable ratings" go even lower.

[slightlv]

27. ETTD... news media not excluded! nt

[kimbutgar]

20. Thursday night is the only time I watch cbs

Ghosts, Matlock and Elsbeth. When they’re not on I have no reason to watch CBS anymore.

And I heard Ghosts and Matlock are in danger of being cancelled now.

[slightlv]

29. The only thing I use CBS for is some of its streaming...

mostly Star Trek... but it and the other couple of shows I watch all the time are streaming through Paramount. That's all gonna change now that they're consolidating even more of the media under one or two billionaires...

[calimary]

39. We get our "Star Trek" that way, too.

Glad it’s still available.

[PortTack]

21. Good!

[Figarosmom]

22. I don't even watch their other programing anymore

The only reason I have Spectrum streaming is for the networks. There is only one ( ABC) that I watch a few shows on now. If I can find those shows on other streaming platforms, bye, bye Spectrum.

[BettyBlueDot]

42. Antenna?

Have you looked into an antenna? I'm abt 40 miles fm a city which has broadcast for the networks and subchannels. Reception is quite good with a fairly small antenna which is actually propped on top of my kitchen cabinet, facing south. I cancelled Spectrum TV a few years ago. There are sev apps you can use to determine the signal strength and direction of closest signals.

[Figarosmom]

45. I did, but i know there are better ones on

The market now. I'm right between Chicago and Milwaukee so I know the signals would be strong.

[blue blues]

25. Trump calls that WINNING

Oh all the winning just beautiful

[Pinback]

26. Mission Accomplished

Harvest of Shame, 21st century style. SMDH.

[Cha]

28. It's AMAZING how Fucking Stupid C BS is!!

Last edited Wed Apr 29, 2026, 10:18 PM - Edit history (1)

I Like It!

Hallelujah for those "viewers" running away from Stupid in Droves!!

TY, BRDS!

[Joinfortmill]

30. Good.

[ThoughtCriminal]

32. They don't care

About the ratings as much as they stop journalists investigating the GOP crime wave.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

33. Decades long CBS News viewer, I (& family) have not watched a second of CBS News since Weiss came on board.

Never had a problem with Tony D, but have now lost all respect for him. Been bouncing between Muir (ABC) and Llamas (NBC) of late. Grew up on Cronkite and Rather. Liked and trusted both of them immensely.

The message I get from these right-wing slanted media entities is I am somehow a lesser being because I am not a Republican. Fuck that.

[Talitha]

34. Gee, that''s too bad.

[Marie Marie]

37. Congratulations Bari, you did that! And, in record time.

That's what no experience, strong bias and an abundance of hubris can accomplish. Bravo!

[Frasier Balzov]

38. The radio network is being shut down in a couple of weeks.

I will miss hearing it on WBBM 780 at the top of the hour.

[Ruby the Liberal]

44. Awesome news! I hope his wife is paying attention

Maybe she will stop fluffing the cabal on the daily on her show.

[PCB66]

47. CBS lost Conservative viewers a couple of decades ago

None of them came back under Weiss.

MAGA Fox viewers were not ever going to switch to CBS.

Lose Liberal viewers with the hope of getting viewers that gave up a long time ago. Nope, that ain't gonna work.

Great lesson in how not to do marketing. Know your audience.

Personally I haven't watched network TV for a long time. I think the last thing I watched was the Lost series. My wife watched Young Sheldon but that was about it.