Key facts
- Sunday's '60 Minutes' episode attracted 10.2 million viewers.
- The previous week's episode drew 10.15 million viewers.
- The second episode of the season had 6.8 million viewers.
- The season debut saw viewership drop to 7.9 million from about 10 million.
- Ross Douthat joined '60 Minutes' as a correspondent.
CBS News' flagship program '60 Minutes' is showing signs of a ratings rebound under the leadership of top editor Bari Weiss and new top producer Nick Bilton. Sunday's episode garnered 10.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen data, a slight increase from the 10.15 million who watched the comparable episode last year and up from 6.8 million for the second episode of the current season.
The program experienced a 20% drop in viewership for its season debut, falling to 7.9 million viewers from approximately 10 million. This decline was partly attributed to a lower lead-in from the preceding NFL game compared to the previous fall's opener. However, CBS noted that the debut episode saw its social media reach triple compared to the prior year.
Since Weiss and Bilton took over in mid-September, '60 Minutes' has seen significant staff changes, including the departure of four correspondents. Among them was veteran correspondent Scott Pelley, who was later fired by Bilton after reportedly questioning Bilton's qualifications and accusing Weiss of "murdering" the broadcast. Ross Douthat has joined as a correspondent. Weiss stated her interest in working in a newsroom built on trust and mutual respect following Pelley's dismissal.