“60 Minutes” Draws Season-High 10.2 Million Viewers
The CBS News program saw its audience increase compared to the previous season and the start of its current run.
CBS News’ “60 Minutes” achieved its highest viewership of the current season, drawing 10.2 million viewers for its latest episode on Sunday, according to final Nielsen ratings. This figure represents a slight increase from the comparable episode last season, which garnered 10.15 million viewers.
The latest episode’s viewership marks a rebound after the season premiere and its second installment experienced lower numbers compared to the previous year.
The season premiere on September 13 attracted 7.935 million viewers in final Nielsen Big Data + Panel ratings, a 21% decrease from the 10.03 million who watched the previous season’s opener. The second episode of the season drew nearly 6.8 million viewers, a slight increase from the 6.45 million audience for the corresponding episode last season. That broadcast, which featured an interview with Patrick Clancy, also saw an improvement in the key 25-to-54 demographic, attracting 1.1 million viewers compared to 917,000 the year prior.
The ratings are being closely monitored during the first full season under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who appointed Nick Bilton as the program’s executive producer in May. These developments occur as speculation continues regarding Weiss's future role at CBS News, particularly following the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Sources have indicated that Skydance CEO David Ellison is considering potential changes to Weiss's position. These potential changes could involve narrowing her responsibilities to editorial matters, rather than the broader management duties she assumed upon becoming editor-in-chief last year. Reports suggest that Weiss's tenure has been marked by internal friction over management and personnel decisions, including her restructuring of “60 Minutes.”
Despite these considerations, sources familiar with the situation report that David Ellison and his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, continue to value Weiss's editorial acumen and industry connections. A decision regarding Weiss's role is not expected until after the merger's completion. While a broader role that could have included CNN was previously considered, that possibility has diminished. CNN chief Mark Thompson is expected to remain as chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN, reporting directly to David Ellison. For the time being, Weiss is expected to remain in her current capacity at CBS News, though the company may explore consolidating CNN and CBS News under a single executive in the future.