The season premiere of CBS's "60 Minutes" recorded its lowest viewership of the 21st century, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings. The broadcast on September 8 garnered approximately 7.7 million viewers, a figure not seen in records dating back to at least 2000. This marks a significant drop from the previous year's premiere, which drew around 9.5 million viewers.
Year-over-year comparisons show a 19% decrease in total viewers and a 33% decline in the key 25-to-54 demographic for the most recent season opener. The diminished audience figures are particularly notable given the strong lead-in from an NFL game that attracted 18.4 million viewers. The news program's preliminary audience was more than 10 million viewers smaller than its preceding program.
These ratings come at the beginning of the first full season under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. The ratings are preliminary and subject to revision once final numbers are released later on Tuesday. CBS News has been contacted for comment.