A lot of people are talking about the revamped “ CBS Evening News ” under new anchor Tony Dokoupil — but not enough to make the program an unqualified ratings success in its first week.

“We need to *be the news* for these 10 days,” CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss told staff in a note ahead of the much-ballyhooed two-week “Live From America” road show that would mark Tony Dokoupil...