The already wobbly wheels at CBS News nearly flew off completely Wednesday night when a live broadcast from Taiwan spiraled into chaos after a cameraman appeared to collapse mid-segment — leaving anchor Tony Dokoupil visibly rattled and producers scrambling to cut away.
The bizarre moment unfolded during the closing minutes of the CBS Evening News, with Dokoupil reporting from Taipei while covering President Donald Trump’s looming talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Dokoupil had just launched into a grand geopolitical setup about America, China and shifting global power when viewers suddenly heard a loud thud off-camera.
“And finally, tonight, from Taiwan, as President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping prepare to meet, you will hear a lot about American decline and the rise of a powerful new China,” Dokoupil began before abruptly stopping cold.
“The Chinese certainly— is he ok?” the stunned anchor said as commotion erupted behind the scenes. “We’re gonna take a quick break. We have a medical emergency here. We’re calling a doctor.”
An off-screen voice could then be heard urgently asking, “Can you call a doctor, please?”
🚨 JUST NOW: A CBS cameraman suffered a “MEDICAL EMERGENCY” live on air in Taiwan, forcing the broadcast to abruptly cut to commercial
Thankfully, the cameraman is “okay and recovering,” per CBS
Definitely scared a LOT of viewers! pic.twitter.com/6pNZKjvFhD
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 14, 2026
Seconds later, CBS bailed out of the chaotic scene and tossed coverage back to the studio, where another host awkwardly attempted to land the plane.
“So I’m going to sign off for Tony Dokoupil, who’s been reporting in Taiwan,” the fill-in anchor said. “We are going to go to break. We’ll be right back.”
To the network’s credit, CBS later confirmed the unidentified cameraman was recovering and apparently avoided a more serious outcome.
“Tonight during the final segment of CBS Evening News, our cameraman on set suffered a medical emergency,” the network said in a statement. “Thankfully, he’s okay and recovering.”
Still, the alarming on-air mishap instantly became another headache for a network that has spent months fighting perception problems, sagging ratings and a string of awkward technical stumbles.
According to Semafor, the CBS anchor had been expected to report from mainland China alongside the rest of the international press corps covering Trump’s meetings with Xi. But two people familiar with the matter told the outlet Dokoupil was unable to secure a Chinese visa in time — though the exact reason remains murky. “Two people who had been briefed on the issue said Dokoupil had not been able to get a Chinese visa, though it’s unclear whether the block came from a late application or another issue,” Semafor reported.
CBS declined to comment on the visa situation, while the Chinese Embassy in Washington reportedly did not respond to requests for clarification.
The network’s flagship evening program has had a rough stretch lately. CBS Evening News continues to trail its broadcast rivals in the ratings race, and Dokoupil’s January debut was marred by teleprompter glitches that viewers immediately roasted online.
