‘60 Minutes’ Ratings Drop 15% Without NFL Lead-In, but Up Year Over Year

The CBS news program "60 Minutes" experienced a 15% drop in viewership for its second episode of the current season, according to Nielsen data released on Tuesday. The program drew 6.77 million viewers, down from 8.1 million during its season premiere. Even worse, the 25-54 age demographic saw a 31% decrease, with 1.08 million viewers tuning in.

The decline in ratings didn't seem to be helped by the lack of a nationally televised NFL game that typically precedes the newsmagazine. However, this wasn't a year-over-year decline; "60 Minutes" actually increased its total viewership by 5% compared to last season's second episode. The episode featured a high-profile interview with Patrick Clancy, whose ex-wife Lindsay Clancy is accused of killing their three children in 2023.

The mistrial in the case drew significant attention to the segment. This was the second episode of the 59th season of "60 Minutes," which had previously drawn 7.94 million viewers during its premiere, a 21% decrease from last year. The premier also attracted 1.6 million viewers in the 25-54 age group, a 33% decline compared to the previous year.

The new executive producer, Nick Bilton, and CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss are leading the program in its first season. Despite the ratings dip, the episode still marked the third straight season where the second episode drew fewer than 7 million viewers, even as the program improved by 5% compared to the same episode in 2022.