CBS News’ “60 Minutes” is facing a challenging beginning in terms of audience numbers under its new management.
According to Nielsen data, the viewership for the “60 Minutes” season premiere on Sunday night dropped by more than 20% compared to the previous year.
The episode, which attracted approximately 7.9 million viewers, was overseen by new lead producer Nick Bilton, appointed by CBS News editor Bari Weiss in May. In contrast, over 10 million people watched the “60 Minutes” launch last fall.
Important context: The NFL game serving as a lead-in to “60 Minutes” was significantly weaker than the previous year, when Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens competed against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The premiere marked “a big moment for 60 Minutes and CBS,” according to a memo sent to CBS News staff by Bilton, Weiss, and network president Tom Cibrowski on Sunday.
CBS News highlighted the digital performance of “60 Minutes,” noting that the news program nearly tripled its social media reach.
E Notable segments from the episode included an interview with the U.S. Air Force pilot who survived being shot down in Iran and a feature on Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay as the NFL season began. The episode also featured conversations with so-called “pardon brokers” who claim to help affluent clients influence presidential pardons.
Bilton and Weiss spent the summer overhauling “60 Minutes” following a turbulent period in which correspondents Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Anderson Cooper departed the renowned news program.
Pelley was dismissed by Bilton after publicly questioning his new supervisor’s credentials, pressing for explanations about Vega and Alfonsi’s departures, and accusing Weiss of “destroying” the “60 Minutes” broadcast.
Longtime correspondents Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim chose to remain with “60 Minutes” after Bilton committed to maintaining strong journalistic standards, telling their colleagues they “don’t want to see 60 Minutes die.”
Bilton has introduced his vision for “60 Minutes” by updating its visual design and adding contributors such as Ross Douthat, who joined from The New York Times in July.
Since David Ellison, CEO of CBS parent company Paramount Skydance, appointed Weiss as head of CBS News last fall, she has sparked controversy. The former New York Times opinion editor, known for her conservative stance, has faced allegations of political bias and editorial meddling, which she has denied.