60 Minutes Under Bari Weiss Opens Its New Season to a Ratings Slide

A Rough Return for a Legacy Franchise

60 Minutes' Season 59 premiere drew a steep ratings drop compared to last year's opener, as CNN and TheWrap both reported, with preliminary figures cited by Mediaite pointing to one of the program's weakest openers in a quarter-century.

The decline arrives just as the long-running newsmagazine has been navigating a very public overhaul, making the premiere a closely watched test of whether the changes are resonating with its traditional audience. For a show that has spent decades as appointment viewing on Sunday nights, a drop of this size is difficult to write off as routine seasonal fluctuation.

60 Minutes has long functioned as a ratings anchor and a reputational cornerstone for CBS News, so any meaningful decline draws scrutiny well beyond the usual TV-ratings trade press, spilling into political commentary given how closely the show's changes have been tied to its new leadership's broader editorial direction.

Why the Show Changed

The overhaul follows months of behind-the-scenes shifts at CBS News under new leadership, with editor Bari Weiss taking a hands-on role in shaping the network's news division following its change in ownership.

Those changes have touched everything from segment structure to on-air tone, and 60 Minutes — as CBS News's flagship program — has functioned as the most visible showcase for the new direction. The premiere was widely treated as an early referendum on that direction, with industry observers watching closely to see whether the retooled format would hold onto the show's longtime viewers or alienate them.

A Mixed Critical Reaction

Reviews of the premiere itself were more measured than the ratings numbers suggest, with The Hollywood Reporter's assessment describing the changes as having a limited effect on the broadcast's core identity so far.

Other commentary was sharper, framing the ratings slide as an early sign of trouble for the new leadership's approach, even as defenders argue a single premiere is too small a sample to draw firm conclusions from. That split — a relatively muted critical response paired with a much harsher ratings headline — has itself become part of the story, with commentators debating whether the numbers or the reviews offer the truer read on how the overhaul is landing.

Quick Facts

• 60 Minutes' Season 59 premiere saw a steep ratings drop versus last year

• Preliminary figures were cited as one of the show's weakest openers in 25 years

• The overhaul follows leadership changes at CBS News under Bari Weiss

• Critical reaction to the premiere itself was more mixed than the ratings decline

• The show's new direction touches segment structure and on-air tone

What the Numbers Mean Going Forward

A steep premiere-night drop puts added pressure on the show's new leadership heading into the rest of the season, particularly given 60 Minutes' outsized role in CBS News's overall reputation and revenue.

How the numbers trend over the coming weeks — rather than the premiere alone — will likely determine whether this becomes a defining storyline of Weiss's tenure or a blip attributable to broader shifts in how audiences watch appointment television. Sunday newsmagazine viewing has been declining across the industry for years, which complicates any attempt to pin the drop entirely on the creative changes at 60 Minutes itself.

FAQs

Why did 60 Minutes' ratings drop?

The premiere came amid a broader overhaul of CBS News under new leadership, and preliminary figures showed a steep decline from last year's opener.

Who is Bari Weiss and why is she connected to this story?

She has taken a leading role in reshaping CBS News following its ownership change, with 60 Minutes serving as the most visible showcase of the new direction.

Was the premiere itself reviewed poorly?

Not uniformly — some reviews described the changes as having a limited effect on the broadcast, while ratings coverage was harsher.

Is this the lowest-rated 60 Minutes premiere ever?

Preliminary data cited by outlets covering the drop described it as one of the show's weakest openers in about 25 years, though final figures could shift that assessment.