CBS Evening News says “We Love America” is one of its guiding principles
Under Bari Weiss’s watch, the newly revamped CBS news program waves the American flag on weeknights — and makes no apologies for its pro-American editorial stance.
On Friday, the program released a statement outlining “five simple principles” that will serve as the basis for the show’s presentation of news under the leadership of Tony Dokoupil, who previously was a morning news anchor at CBS. According to CBS News, what was previously a “38-page manual” is now “five simple values.”
Dokoupil was named chairman of “CBS Evening News” last month by Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News and founder of The Free Press, which describes itself as “a new media company built on the ideals that once formed the foundation of American journalism.” Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison acquired The Free Press in a deal reportedly worth $150 million and installed Weiss to oversee CBS News’ editorial operations in what he said was an effort to restore viewers’ confidence in the outlet.
“When the new ‘CBS Evening News’ launches Monday, we promise to live by these five simple principles – from our very first show on the road to our first broadcast on the new New York set, and everyone afterward,” the show said in a series of to inform on social media.
One of the principles outlined by CBS Evening News was this: “We love America. And we make no apologies for saying so. Our fundamental values of freedom, equality and the rule of law make us the last best hope on earth.” The news show said: “We aim to do our part every night: one way to think about our show is as a daily conversation about where exactly we are as a country and where we are going.”
On Thursday, January 1, Dokoupil shared his thoughts on the state of journalism in the US prior to taking over as anchor of CBS Evening News.
“People don’t trust us like they used to,” Dokoupil said in a video shared on CBSNews.com. He continued, “On too many stories, the press has missed the story. And it’s not just us. It’s all traditional media. Because we’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates, not the average American. Or we’re putting too much weight on the analysis of academics, or elites, and not enough on you.”
Here are the “five simple principles” that “CBS Evening News” says it will be guided by with Dokoupil as its anchor:
- We work for you. That means you come first. Not our advertisers. Not politicians. No corporate interests, including the corporate owners of CBS News.
- We report on the world as it is. We will be honest and direct with you. That means no weasel words or padded landings. We’ll tell you what we know, as soon as we know it. Update our reporting if we discover new facts. And we will admit it when we are wrong.
- We respect you. We believe that our fellow Americans are smart and distinctive. Our job is to give you the fullest picture – and the strongest voices on all sides of an issue. We trust you to make up your own mind and make the decisions that are best for you, your families and your community.
- We love America. And we make no apologies for saying that. Our fundamental values of freedom, equality and the rule of law make us the last best hope on earth. We also believe in Franklin’s famous statement about America as a republic – if we can keep it. We strive to do our part every night: one way to think about our show is as a daily conversation about where exactly we are as a country and where we are going.
- We respect tradition, but also believe in the future. We embrace the tools that allow us to reach you wherever you are. Some of you will be watching this show on linear television. Others will increasingly watch it on social media. What we can guarantee is that the tools will continue to change – but some things never will. One of these is honest journalism.
“CBS Evening News” with Tony Dokoupil premieres Monday, January 5 at 6:30 PM ET.
