Key facts
- The season premiere of "60 Minutes" under new producer Nick Bilton and CBS News top editor Bari Weiss saw a 20% decline in viewership.
- An average of just under 8 million viewers watched the episode, down from over 10 million in the prior year's debut.
- Nielsen data suggests the audience drop was due to fewer people tuning in, not a significant loss of viewers during the broadcast.
- The episode featured interviews with a US Air Force pilot, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, and "pardon brokers."
- Controversies surrounding alleged political bias and high-profile correspondent departures under Weiss are cited as potential factors for the lower viewership.
- Viewership for the NFL game leading into "60 Minutes" was also down over 20% from the previous year.
Viewership for the season premiere of CBS News' "60 Minutes" declined by 20% compared to the previous year, with an average of just under 8 million viewers tuning in, according to data from Nielsen. This marks a significant drop from the over 10 million viewers who watched the previous season's debut.
Data obtained by Business Insider indicates that the decrease in viewership was not due to viewers tuning out during the program, but rather fewer people initially choosing to watch "60 Minutes." The audience retention rate during the broadcast was similar to the previous year, with both premieres losing about 47% of their audience from start to finish. However, the current season's debut saw a smaller percentage drop in the first 15 minutes (7.6%) compared to the prior year's debut (17%).
The episode featured interviews with a US Air Force pilot shot down in Iran, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, and individuals described as "pardon brokers." While it is common for news programs to lose viewers over their runtime, the core issue for "60 Minutes" appears to be a lack of initial engagement.
Potential factors contributing to the lower viewership include high-profile changes under new producer Nick Bilton and CBS News top editor Bari Weiss, such as new graphics and the departure of four correspondents: Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Anderson Cooper. Some former CBS News staffers have accused Weiss of political bias, which she has denied. Additionally, the NFL lead-in viewership was down over 20% from the previous year, impacting the program's traditional boost.