Ratings and context
Sunday night’s edition of 60 Minutes, which featured an interview with Patrick Clancy, drew an average audience of 6.77 million viewers, according to audience figures released Tuesday. That total marks the third-smallest audience for a season’s second episode over the past 25 years.
High-profile interview fails to move numbers
The interview, widely covered in advance, did not deliver the sizable ratings bump some broadcasters hope for with marquee segments. The viewing figures follow a subdued start to the season as measured by audience size for the program’s early installments.
Overhaul under Bari Weiss
The episode aired amid a significant reshaping of the long-running newsmagazine. Bari Weiss, who is serving as CBS’s editor-in-chief, implemented a series of changes ahead of the new season, including the dismissal of several high-profile correspondents.
Implications for the programme
The modest audience for Sunday’s show adds to what critics have described as a disappointing debut for Weiss’s stewardship. The figures will likely be scrutinised by network executives as they assess the impact of the editorial changes and plan programming for the weeks ahead.