Tony Dokoupil: Education, Career, and Journey to CBS Mornings
Tony Dokoupil, an American broadcast journalist and author, has become a familiar face on morning television as a co-host of CBS Mornings since 2019. His path to this prominent position is marked by a diverse educational background and a career spanning various news networks and reporting roles.
Early Life and Education
Born on December 24, 1980, in Connecticut, Tony Dokoupil's upbringing was unique. He is of Czech descent. His mother, Ann, was a teacher, while his father, Anthony, was involved in dealing marijuana. Initially, Dokoupil was told his father worked in real estate, which served as a cover for his true occupation. His family relocated to Miami shortly after his birth. When he was six years old, Dokoupil and his mother relocated back to Maryland, where he attended Severna Park High School.
Dokoupil's academic achievements are noteworthy. He studied business at George Washington University, graduating first in his class. He also pursued media studies at Columbia University. During his time at George Washington University, he was a baseball player.
Early Career
Before joining CBS News, Tony Dokoupil spent three years at NBC News, working as a correspondent for MSNBC. He served as the network's lead reporter on significant national events, including the Paris climate agreement and the Flint water crisis.
Joining CBS News
Dokoupil joined CBS News in August 2016 as a New York-based correspondent, following his departure from NBC News and MSNBC.
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Rise to CBS Mornings
On May 6, 2019, Dokoupil was announced as the new co-anchor of CBS This Morning, making his debut on May 20. In September 2021, the program was renamed CBS Mornings. In September 2024, Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz began hosting a new third hour of CBS Mornings, called CBS Mornings Plus.
At "CBS Mornings," Dokoupil has handled numerous high-profile, on-the-ground and anchoring assignments. Dokoupil has also been on the forefront in covering key issues that impact Americans. He has led original coverage on vaping, including a broadcast exclusive interview with Juul CEO Kevin Burns and the first television interview with the co-CEOs of Puff Bar. He also led an investigation into the trading and investing app Robinhood and the death of teenager Austin Kearns, including an exclusive interview with Kearns' parents. He also anchored the original series "The Price You Pay," which looks at why costs are surging for many common products or services.
Notable Reporting and Interviews
Dokoupil has covered a wide range of topics throughout his career. As a correspondent for CBS News, he has written about marijuana legalization, digital privacy, and the Second Amendment. His cover stories for "CBS Sunday Morning" include features on the scourge of suicide, the struggles of public school teachers, and a successful rehab program for drug and alcohol-addicted airline pilots.
Dokoupil's interviews have also garnered attention. On September 30, 2024, Dokoupil discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with author Ta-Nehisi Coates during the latter's appearance on CBS Mornings to promote the book The Message. Dokoupil implied that the book "reads like the work of an extremist" and questioned Coates about Coates's view regarding Israel's right to exist. The following April, Dokoupil interviewed North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach Bill Belichick for CBS’ Sunday Morning program. The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach insisted that segment was intended to promote his book, The Art of Winning: Lessons from a Life in Football. However, CBS stated it informed Belichick that Dokoupil would discuss a wide variety of topics, including the 73-year-old’s relationship with Jordon Hudson, 24, who immediately shut the interview down when a question about how they met came up. “There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation,” the network said.
Personal Pursuits
Beyond his professional endeavors, Dokoupil has also pursued personal interests. Haunted by "childhood regret" of never learning carpentry skills from his stepfather, "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, recently set out to fulfill his long-held dream of building his own house despite having zero construction experience."While I watched my stepfather, Paul, a carpenter, renovate this old farmhouse for my mom … the dumb teenage me refused to learn how he did it," Dokoupil said. His dream of that type of self-reliance - along with desire to feel like a hardened pioneer instead of a soft 21st century office worker - led him to reach out to professional woodworker Will O'Connor, who teaches classes in New York and started Dokoupil with a modest birdhouse project. The 16-square-inch birdhouse was smaller compared to his ultimate dream of building his wife a 3,000-square-foot house. Dokoupil struggled with basic carpentry skills like sawing and planing, yet got right into and enjoyed the craft. Under the guidance of construction supervisor Matt Grant, Dokoupil attempted to build interior walls for a bedroom. Despite ambitious goals, his inexperience proved limiting. Our "CBS Mornings" series Never Too Late highlights stories of people conquering new challenges or embracing a second chapter at any age in life. Watch the 6-week run, showcasing "CBS Mornings" anchors and correspondents achieving their dreams - both big and small.
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