What To Know
- The season premiere of 60 Minutes drew 7.9 million viewers, marking its lowest premiere audience of the 21st century and a 21% drop from last year.
- The ratings decline follows major staff changes led by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
- While some attribute the drop to internal shakeups, competition from an NFL game on Fox may have also contributed.
60 Minutes returned for its new season with its smallest premiere audience of the 21st century.
According to Nielsen ratings, per The New York Times, the season premiere drew 7.9 million total viewers, including 1.6 million viewers in the key adults 25-54 demographic. That marks a 21% drop in total viewers and a 33% decline in the demo compared to last season’s premiere.
The tumble in viewership will undoubtedly add to the scrutiny surrounding CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, whose sweeping overhaul of the long-running newsmagazine has become an early test of her tenure.
Over the last few months, Weiss has made significant changes behind the scenes, including replacing executive producer Tanya Simon with former New York Times technology columnist and documentary filmmaker Nick Bilton and overseeing the departures of several prominent correspondents. The premiere was viewed within CBS as an important test for the revamped 60 Minutes, making its historically low ratings an especially closely watched result.
Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty Images
The total audience also represents a new low for the CBS newsmagazine. This is reportedly the first time this century that a 60 Minutes season premiere has drawn fewer than 9 million viewers.
Before this season, the show’s lowest premiere audience of the 21st century came in 2020, when 60 Minutes returned with 9.7 million viewers and 2.6 million adults 25-54. This year’s premiere fell approximately 1.8 million viewers below that previous low.
While 7.9 million viewers still represents a sizable audience in today’s TV landscape, the year-to-year drop — particularly the 33% decline among adults 25-54 — makes the premiere a notable ratings low for one of television’s longest-running programs.
Weiss has overhauled 60 Minutes, replacing senior leaders and correspondents and installing Nick Bilton as executive producer. While some critics blamed the ratings drop on those changes, NFL scheduling may have also played a role. Unlike last year, CBS had to compete with another NFL game on Fox right before 60 Minutes aired.
According to The Post, the Packers-Vikings game preceding 60 Minutes drew 18.4 million viewers, down about 22% from 23.8 million a year ago.
60 Minutes, Season 59, Sundays, 7/6c, CBS & Paramount+