CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil will broadcast from Taipei this week after failing to obtain a visa to China in time, a stumble in the networkâs efforts to play a leading role in this weekâs dominant global story.
American broadcasters are planning extensive coverage from the Chinese capital this week. Semafor first reported Sunday that NBC Newsâs Tom Llamas would be anchoring from Beijing, as will ABC Newsâs David Muir. CBS appears to have planned similar coverage, and was forced to change course at the last minute: On the CBS morning planning call Wednesday, they discussed plans for Dokoupil to broadcast from the Taiwanese capital, according to a person on the call.
Two people who had been briefed on the issue said Dokoupil had not been able to get a Chinese visa, though itâs unclear whether the block came from a late application or another issue. CBS News declined to comment and the Chinese Embassy in Washington didnât respond immediately to inquiries as to why Dokoupil is not in Beijing.
A person at the network dismissed concerns over Dokoupilâs absence in Beijing, noting that CBS News had two correspondents who would be traveling with US President Donald Trump in China. The person added that Dokoupilâs presence in Taipei highlighted the importance of Taiwan, which is set to be a major topic at the summit.
The setback comes as CBS Evening News, already in third place, has continued to see its ratings slide. The networkâs strategy has been shaped by the political and business interests of the Ellison family â which depends on Trumpâs blessing to complete a merger with WarnerMedia, and executives cast it not as a rightward move but as seeking a wider center. âWe donât think that we want to move 10 degrees to the right and find the center. We think that thereâs a wider aperture of audience out there than other people think,â managing editor Charles Forellesaid last week.
The networkâs critics have focused on the fact that editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and her team lack experience in running a television network, which can be, among other things, heavily reliant on complex logistics.
Source: Drudge Report
