CBS's "60 Minutes" records lowest-rated fourth episode in two decades
"60 Minutes" attracted 6.06 million viewers for its fourth episode on Oct. 10, marking the lowest ratings for that slot since 2000.
The latest installment of CBS's newsmagazine "60 Minutes" drew 6.06 million total viewers on Oct. 10, with about 767,000 in the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen data. The numbers represent a decline of roughly one million viewers compared with the same episode a year earlier and constitute the lowest-rated fourth episode of the series since the start of the 21st century.
The episode featured reports by Lesley Stahl from the West Bank and an interview with the director of the Secret Service, but it aired without the benefit of an NFL lead-in, which had boosted viewership for the Oct. 4 broadcast that attracted 10.2 million viewers.
Industry sources indicated that CBS anticipated a drop in audience after the NFL game moved to a rival network, and they noted that viewership rose toward the end of the program as the football games concluded.
The ratings dip occurs amid ongoing changes at CBS News following the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief last year. Weiss, who acquired the network after its parent company purchased her former online publication, has overseen staff restructuring and the hiring of new correspondents, including Nick Bilton as executive producer and commentators Ross Douthat and Norah O’Donnell.
The latest episode follows a season premiere that also posted historically low numbers, continuing a trend of reduced viewership for the flagship program.