The Left is losing its grasp on power. And the numbers aren’t even close.
Now Radical Democrats were dealt a fatal blow they’ll never recover from.
Bari Weiss Delivers Ratings Surge at CBS News Amid Left-Wing Backlash
Bari Weiss, the new Editor-in-Chief of CBS News, has scored a notable victory with the network’s flagship broadcast hitting its highest viewership in years.
On January 19, 2026, CBS Evening News with anchor Tony Dokoupil drew 6.4 million total viewers—the program’s largest audience since 2021—and averaged 803,000 viewers in the key adults 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.
CBS News highlighted the milestone in a press release shared on X: “RATINGS: @CBSEveningNews with Tony Dokoupil delivers 6.4 million total viewers on Jan. 19 – its largest audience for the broadcast since 2021. The CBS News flagship evening broadcast also averaged 803K in the key adults 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel…”
This strong performance stands out against ongoing criticism from former CBS staffers and progressive media outlets, who have accused Weiss of pushing for more balanced coverage that deviates from traditional left-leaning editorial slants.
The ratings spike suggests her changes may be resonating with a broader audience seeking less partisan reporting.
Weiss’s Push for Even-Handed Journalism Sparks Internal and External Revolt
Weiss has faced intense pushback since taking the helm, including an open letter signed by about 200 former CBS employees and industry figures urging Paramount CEO David Ellison to safeguard the network’s independence from what they called her “clumsy editorial interference.”
A recent controversy involved her decision to delay and add context to a 60 Minutes segment on a prison in El Salvador, citing the need for a response from the Trump administration—moves critics labeled as interference.
Former CBS anchor Dan Rather commented on her leadership: “It is also hard to believe Weiss will be an equitable steward of the storied news division …” Comedian David Letterman described CBS News as a “wreck,” claiming its integrity had been “eviscerated by these idiots that have taken it over.”
Other outlets, including The Guardian and The New York Times, have portrayed her tenure as chaotic, with one CBS journalist quoted as saying “there is blood in the water.” At the Golden Globes, host Nikki Glaser joked that CBS News was “America’s newest place to see BS news.”
Weiss has also implemented stricter newsroom accountability, including a memo requesting detailed weekly work-hour logs from staff.
Ratings Vindication for Weiss as Network Seeks Broader Appeal
The January 19 numbers provide concrete evidence that Weiss’s approach—emphasizing fairness and context in reporting—may be drawing viewers back to CBS Evening News.
While the broadcast still trails competitors like NBC and ABC in overall averages, this peak performance counters narratives of decline under her leadership and highlights the potential for renewed interest when networks move away from one-sided framing.
As CBS continues to navigate its transformation, these figures offer a clear metric: audiences are tuning in, suggesting that balanced journalism can win back trust in a polarized media landscape.
