Full Breakdown
CBS Evening News Faces Logistical Hurdles and On-Air Crisis While Covering Trump-Xi Summit
5/17/2026, 12:56:52 PM
Live Taiwan Broadcast After Visa Failure
CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil anchored from a balcony in Taipei on May 13 after CBS could not secure a Chinese visa for President Donald Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping. The broadcast moved to Liberty Square after a hotel barred political coverage.
Background and Summit Context
The Trump-Xi summit in Beijing (May 13-14) addressed trade, Iran and Taiwan. CBS framed the Taiwan location as highlighting the island’s central role, while NBC and ABC anchored from Beijing.
Timeline
- May 13: Dokoupil starts Taipei broadcast; hotel bans political coverage.
- Mid-segment: cameraman collapses; Dokoupil announces medical emergency.
- Afterward: Matt Gutman signs off.
- May 14: CBS stresses Taiwan’s relevance.
Ratings
For the week of May 4, CBS Evening News drew 3.7 million viewers and 473 000 in the 25-54 demo, third behind ABC (?8.5 million) and NBC (?6.2 million). A CBS source noted a 2 % month-to-month viewership rise under Dokoupil.
Official Statements
CBS said the cameraman “is okay and recovering.” A network release stressed that “Taiwan is at the center of the high-stakes talks as China’s geopolitical tensions with Taiwan run high.” The source cited modest audience growth and noted two correspondents traveling with the president in China.
Criticism and Opposition
Sources called the visa mishap “sloppy” and “the dumbest decision in broadcast news.” A former CBS employee called the Taipei placement a “cover-your-ass” move, warning it could provoke Beijing. Commentators also questioned the hotel’s ban on political reporting.
On-the-Ground Report
Cameraman Randy Schmidt arrived from Tokyo that afternoon and fainted while filming. CBS noted he had downtime before the assignment, while other accounts suggested a 24-hour shift. Hotel management reportedly barred political coverage after seeing the previous night’s segment.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The visa delay’s cause remains unclear—some cite a late application, others internal oversight. Early reports omitted Schmidt’s name; later stories identified him. Ratings figures range from 3.4 million to 3.86 million viewers. The reason for Schmidt’s collapse is disputed between exhaustion and adequate rest.
Verbatim Quotes
- “even at our hotel … after seeing our broadcast last night, the manager told us we can’t cover anything political on their property.” — Tony Dokoupil, anchor
- “Is he OK? We’re going to take a quick break. We have a medical emergency here.” — Tony Dokoupil, on-air
- “is at the center of the high stakes talks as China’s geopolitical tensions with Taiwan run high.” — CBS News press release
- “This is possibly the dumbest decision in the history of broadcast news,” — Unnamed CBS source, quoted by The Daily Beast
What’s Next
President Trump and President Xi are scheduled to meet again on May 14 in Beijing. CBS will continue coverage from its Beijing correspondents while monitoring the cameraman’s health and reviewing logistics for future diplomatic events.
