'60 Minutes' ratings tanked in the season debut under Bari Weiss

CBS News' storied "60 Minutes" telecast saw a major ratings decline under top editor Bari Weiss. Bloomberg/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images The new-look "60 Minutes" suffered a major decline in viewership in its season debut. New lead producer Nick Bilton and top editor Bari Weiss spent the summer updating the telecast. About 7.9 million people watched the episode, down from about 10 million last year. CBS News' "60 Minutes" is off to a rocky start on the viewership front under its new leadership. Ratings for the "60 Minutes" season premiere on Sunday night plunged more than 20% from last year, according to data from Nielsen. About 7.9 million people watched the episode, orchestrated by new lead producer Nick Bilton, who was selected by top CBS News editor Bari Weiss in May. Last fall, just about 10 million people tuned in to the launch of "60 Minutes."