Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon medley of Puck’s best new reporting.

First up today, Dylan Byers scrutinizes Tony Dokoupil’s shaky maiden voyage as the anchor of CBS Evening News, and what it reveals about the broader disarray of Bari Weiss’s early tenure as the network’s editor-in-chief. Indeed, while her bid to steer the perennially third-place network into a center-right lane may seem strategically sound, the execution so far has left much to be desired. But as Dylan notes, sometimes things need to get worse before they get better…

Plus, below the fold: William D. Cohan reveals why Zaslav & Co. rejected Paramount’s $30-a-share offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, and whether the Ellisons are finally out of the race. Leigh Ann Caldwell considers whether Trump’s strange political vendetta against Colorado will cost him the House. Rachel Strugatz spotlights the TikTok-fueled beauty brand to watch this year. And Scott Mendelson breaks down how the theatrical business fared in 2025.

Meanwhile, for Inner Circle members, Marion Maneker peruses exclusive data on the latest fine art auctions across Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Leigh Ann discuss a frenetic week in Washington, from debates surrounding the ICE shooting in Minneapolis to tense national security briefings on Venezuela.

Finally, for subscribers in Boston next week, Ian Krietzberg and Bill Cohan will be hosting an intimate evening of cocktails and conversation next Wednesday, January 14, at 5:30 p.m., in partnership with Tishman Speyer. We’d love to see you there. To R.S.V.P., email Eric@puck.news.

MEDIA

Tony Dokoupil’s disastrous debut as anchor of CBS Evening News highlights the uncomfortable truth about Bari Weiss’s tenure: While her politics take center stage, it’s her inexperience that’s her real liability.

WALL STREET

The battle for Warner Bros. Discovery is increasingly coming down to how Netflix and Paramount Skydance value the declining TV assets (and CNN) that David Zaslav is determined to separate from the Warners mothership. Versant, which just started trading on Nasdaq this week, may provide the answer.

WASHINGTON

The president’s bizarre decision to wage a retaliatory political war on Colorado—including the MAGA stronghold that elected Lauren Boebert—could wind up costing him the House.

FASHION

Sacheu’s viral “peel-off” lip liner has been a rare category success at Ulta: Billie Eilish is posting about the product, the brand is profitable, and bankers are circling. But for an exit to actually happen, does the brand need to evolve beyond its made-for-TikTok vibe?

HOLLYWOOD

With Hollywood’s annual output back to resembling its pre-pandemic levels, some clear trends emerged: Kids showed up, horror hit more often than it didn’t, and the superhero slump is real. How might it all apply to 2026 and beyond?

ART

With $5.4 billion in combined sales, 2025 was a pretty decent year for Sotheby’s, Phillips, and Christie’s, as well as the broader auction market. But a deeper analysis of sales across price ranges, average lot values, and the percentage of works sold below estimate may foretell what 2026 brings.

WASHINGTON

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to make sense of a frenetic week in Washington, from the ICE shooting in Minneapolis to classified national security briefings on Venezuela. They also dig into growing anxiety over Trump’s interest in seizing Greenland, a bloc of Republicans breaking ranks to join Democrats in extending Obamacare health subsidies, and more.

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