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BumRushDaShow

(171,385 posts)
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 06:38 PM Wednesday

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

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/



Link to Status REPORT (email required) - CBS’ Ratings Calamity
47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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CBS News a 'sinking ship' as pro-Trump turn drives ratings to 'unthinkable' lows: report (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Wednesday OP
if we wanted pro-Trump garbage, there's always Fox Fucking News Skittles Wednesday #1
I hope she has a day of reckoning wolfie001 Wednesday #6
repukes LOVE using these self-loathing pieces of utter SHIT Skittles Wednesday #23
It's not just her. It's also the billionaires Larry Ellison and son David who are big Trump supporters. Lonestarblue Yesterday #43
oh I know Skittles Yesterday #46
But... but... Bari Weiss, though Politicub Wednesday #2
Lifetime reader of the Detroit Free Press ybbor Wednesday #4
I always like getting references to the Detroit Free Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer erronis Wednesday #10
Maybe Maggie Haberman recommended her as "reliable" wolfie001 Wednesday #7
Bari Weiss is the Jar Jar Binks of TV news. Crowman2009 Yesterday #40
Alan "I kept my underwear on!" Dershowitz wolfie001 Yesterday #41
Do any of us care? No not really... FakeNoose Wednesday #3
They haven't just lost me with the news Wednesdays Wednesday #5
Bari should have read Humpty Dumpty C_U_L8R Wednesday #8
All I have to say is Ray Bruns Wednesday #9
Digby's view (citing more from the status.news article) erronis Wednesday #11
Ratings are not the purpose of the purchase. Buddyzbuddy Wednesday #12
Nailed it orangecrush Wednesday #15
This. A thousand times, this. dobleremolque Wednesday #19
can't propagandize if nobody is watching. mwmisses4289 Wednesday #24
I wish that were true. summer_in_TX Wednesday #36
Well, the Viewers haven't been Cha Wednesday #31
Yup...just like Elon buying twitter. Lucky Luciano Wednesday #35
ETTD mercuryblues Wednesday #13
Everything he touches dies orangecrush Wednesday #14
Awww.... Ain't that a shame. WestMichRad Wednesday #16
maybe they just want to kill CBS outright RussBLib Wednesday #17
Good! llmart Wednesday #18
ETTD... news media not excluded! nt slightlv Wednesday #27
Thursday night is the only time I watch cbs kimbutgar Wednesday #20
The only thing I use CBS for is some of its streaming... slightlv Wednesday #29
We get our "Star Trek" that way, too. calimary Yesterday #39
Good! PortTack Wednesday #21
I don't even watch their other programing anymore Figarosmom Wednesday #22
Antenna? BettyBlueDot Yesterday #42
I did, but i know there are better ones on Figarosmom Yesterday #45
Trump calls that WINNING blue blues Wednesday #25
Mission Accomplished Pinback Wednesday #26
It's AMAZING how Fucking Stupid C BS is!! Cha Wednesday #28
Good. Joinfortmill Wednesday #30
They don't care ThoughtCriminal Wednesday #32
Decades long CBS News viewer, I (& family) have not watched a second of CBS News since Weiss came on board. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Wednesday #33
Gee, that''s too bad. Talitha Wednesday #34
Congratulations Bari, you did that! And, in record time. Marie Marie Wednesday #37
The radio network is being shut down in a couple of weeks. Frasier Balzov Wednesday #38
Awesome news! I hope his wife is paying attention Ruby the Liberal Yesterday #44
CBS lost Conservative viewers a couple of decades ago PCB66 23 hrs ago #47

wolfie001

(7,882 posts)
6. I hope she has a day of reckoning
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:35 PM
Wednesday

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

(172,413 posts)
23. repukes LOVE using these self-loathing pieces of utter SHIT
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:54 PM
Wednesday

FITS IN VERY WELL with the traitorous greedy old pig party

Lonestarblue

(13,551 posts)
43. It's not just her. It's also the billionaires Larry Ellison and son David who are big Trump supporters.
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 07:48 AM
Yesterday

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

(172,413 posts)
46. oh I know
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 04:36 PM
Yesterday

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

Politicub

(12,335 posts)
2. But... but... Bari Weiss, though
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 06:54 PM
Wednesday

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

(1,761 posts)
4. Lifetime reader of the Detroit Free Press
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:06 PM
Wednesday

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

(24,241 posts)
10. I always like getting references to the Detroit Free Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:54 PM
Wednesday

Good solid reporting and some great columnists.

wolfie001

(7,882 posts)
7. Maybe Maggie Haberman recommended her as "reliable"
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:37 PM
Wednesday

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

Crowman2009

(3,577 posts)
40. Bari Weiss is the Jar Jar Binks of TV news.
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 05:52 AM
Yesterday

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?!?!

FakeNoose

(42,093 posts)
3. Do any of us care? No not really...
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 06:59 PM
Wednesday

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

(22,963 posts)
5. They haven't just lost me with the news
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:25 PM
Wednesday

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

C_U_L8R

(49,481 posts)
8. Bari should have read Humpty Dumpty
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:47 PM
Wednesday

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

Buddyzbuddy

(2,785 posts)
12. Ratings are not the purpose of the purchase.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 07:56 PM
Wednesday

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.

dobleremolque

(1,128 posts)
19. This. A thousand times, this.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:14 PM
Wednesday

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.

summer_in_TX

(4,230 posts)
36. I wish that were true.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 11:28 PM
Wednesday

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

Cha

(320,089 posts)
31. Well, the Viewers haven't been
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 09:37 PM
Wednesday

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

(11,874 posts)
35. Yup...just like Elon buying twitter.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 10:56 PM
Wednesday

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.

RussBLib

(10,702 posts)
17. maybe they just want to kill CBS outright
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:12 PM
Wednesday

...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

(17,689 posts)
18. Good!
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:12 PM
Wednesday

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

kimbutgar

(27,447 posts)
20. Thursday night is the only time I watch cbs
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:43 PM
Wednesday

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

(7,882 posts)
29. The only thing I use CBS for is some of its streaming...
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 09:27 PM
Wednesday

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...

Figarosmom

(12,832 posts)
22. I don't even watch their other programing anymore
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 08:46 PM
Wednesday

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

(25 posts)
42. Antenna?
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 07:20 AM
Yesterday

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

(12,832 posts)
45. I did, but i know there are better ones on
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 12:25 PM
Yesterday

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

Cha

(320,089 posts)
28. It's AMAZING how Fucking Stupid C BS is!!
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 09:26 PM
Wednesday

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!

ThoughtCriminal

(14,745 posts)
32. They don't care
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 09:40 PM
Wednesday

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

RedWhiteBlueIsRacist

(2,156 posts)
33. Decades long CBS News viewer, I (& family) have not watched a second of CBS News since Weiss came on board.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 09:58 PM
Wednesday

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.

Marie Marie

(11,430 posts)
37. Congratulations Bari, you did that! And, in record time.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 11:29 PM
Wednesday

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

Frasier Balzov

(5,088 posts)
38. The radio network is being shut down in a couple of weeks.
Wed Apr 29, 2026, 11:40 PM
Wednesday

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

Ruby the Liberal

(26,691 posts)
44. Awesome news! I hope his wife is paying attention
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 08:13 AM
Yesterday

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

PCB66

(152 posts)
47. CBS lost Conservative viewers a couple of decades ago
Thu Apr 30, 2026, 05:33 PM
23 hrs 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.

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