The 59th season of the venerable newsmagazine "60 Minutes" is set to launch on Sunday, September 13, a few weeks earlier than usual. This premiere marks a crucial moment for CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and the show's new executive producer, Nick Bilton. Weiss, who took the helm last year, initiated a significant overhaul in May and June, including the ousting of top editorial personnel and well-known on-air personalities like correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon. These changes led to what many producers described as chaos during the off-season, despite the program concluding its 58th season with a 9% increase in ratings and an average of 9.1 million viewers.
Bilton, who moved into this role from a background in technology reporting, screenwriting, and documentary filmmaking, is tasked with navigating the show through these changes. He has already approved over three dozen stories, with many in various stages of production. Bilton aims to bolster the show's tradition of investigative reporting and plans to heavily feature the effects of AI on society, similar to how "60 Minutes" covered the Vietnam War or the tobacco industry in past decades. He has also assembled a new roster of personalities, including former New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and author Sebastian Junger, and brought former "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O’Donnell onto the correspondent team. Veterans Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim were persuaded to stay despite the organizational upheaval.
There is considerable pressure on Weiss, Bilton, CBS News, and corporate overseers at Paramount Skydance for the upcoming season to succeed. While Weiss and others at CBS News believe "60 Minutes" needs to adapt to digital audiences, the show remains a jewel for the network, generating an estimated $67.2 million in ad revenue in 2025, according to Guideline. Ben Bogardus, chairman of Quinnipiac University's journalism department, highlights the challenge of appealing to younger viewers without alienating the older demographic that constitutes the majority of the show's audience. The season will kick off with Jon Wertheim reporting on the L.A. Rams, including interviews with key team figures and a look at team owner Stan Kroenke's AI investments, a clear nod to Bilton's interest in AI topics.
