From Business Insider · James Faris · · 1m 30s
60 Minutes viewership plummets under new leadership
The newsmagazine lost 20% of its audience for the season premiere, but the real problem isn't people tuning out mid-show.
In brief
The newsmagazine lost 20% of its audience for the season premiere, but the real problem isn't people tuning out mid-show. 60 Minutes' audience decline stems from people choosing not to watch in the first place, not from dissatisfaction with the new format or content. Originally reported by Business Insider.
60 Minutes loses 20% of viewers
The season premiere under new producer Nick Bilton drew just under 8 million viewers, down from over 10 million last September. That's a significant drop for the storied newsmagazine.
The real problem: people didn't tune in
Nielsen data shows the audience didn't abandon the show mid-broadcast. Only 7.6% left after 15 minutes, compared to 17% last year. People simply chose not to watch.
Bari Weiss made dramatic changes
New editor Bari Weiss handpicked Bilton and overhauled the show with new graphics. Four correspondents departed: Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Anderson Cooper.
Pelley clashed with Weiss publicly
Scott Pelley questioned Weiss' qualifications in front of colleagues and accused her of 'murdering' the 60 Minutes program. CBS later fired him.
“murdering the 60 Minutes program”
Controversy may have kept viewers away
Former staffers have accused Weiss of political bias, which she denies. The high-profile departures and drama could be deterring audiences from tuning in.
NFL ratings also declined sharply
The NFL game leading into the premiere was down over 20% from last year. CBS is banking on digital clips and social media to rebuild the audience.
What it means
60 Minutes' audience decline stems from people choosing not to watch in the first place, not from dissatisfaction with the new format or content.
