Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, addressed concerns about the network's viewership on Wednesday, dismissing ratings for the long-running Sunday programme 60 Minutes as a secondary consideration. Speaking at an industry event organized by the tech publication The Information, Weiss said the flagship show was performing "tremendously well" despite diminished audience numbers.
At the conference, Weiss was asked about slumping ratings at 60 Minutes — a measurement that has drawn attention since she assumed leadership of CBS News about a year ago. She resisted placing emphasis on granular viewership figures, telling attendees, "I could never build anything if I were focused on the precise number of people that happen to tune in to the second feature on 60 Minutes on a given Sunday."
The Information, which hosted the gathering, did not provide press credentials for the event. Weiss's comments marked her first public remarks acknowledging the ratings pressures the network has experienced during her tenure, and she sought to reframe priorities away from short-term audience metrics.
Analysts and industry observers often treat ratings as a key barometer of a broadcast's health, but Weiss's remarks suggested she intends to focus on broader strategic goals rather than single-episode viewership. Her comments are likely to be watched closely by CBS executives and advertisers as discussions about the network's direction continue.