"60" in Nielsen's Top 10

In light of Sunday's assertion by author David Blum that (a) Mike Wallace was forced out by CBS because he's too old, and (b) that if the audience for "60 Minutes" doesn't get younger, Les Moonves will yank the show off the air for good, the news that "60" was one of the week's 10 highest rated shows is good news indeed.

So the NCAA tournament is the reason why. So what? Does CBS really think it would do better with some other program airing at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Midwest? Does it think it would have better audience retention with something else? I would wager (figuratively, of course) that not even a post-NCAA show could hold onto as many viewers for one full hour as "60" does.

Surely CBS does not need to show its advertisers that every hour it is broadcasting is attracting an audience that is identical to the one watching "CSI" and "Survivor."

      Sunday’s (19) 60 MINUTES made Nielsen’s top-10 programs list for the week, scoring a 10.0/16 household rating and an audience of 15.23 million viewers – its best delivery since January 8, 2006.

      The number-one news magazine finished 8^th in households and 10^th in viewers.

      The broadcast featured an Ed Bradley report on the New York Police Department’s special anti-terror unit; a Scott Pelley story on NASA’s top scientist, who says the Bush administration is restricting his references to global warming; and a Steve Kroft story on new and unusual families formed as the result of fertility science.

Comments

[Alan Weisman]

There's no doubt Moonves will put ANYTHING on the air to attract the 18-49, but even he's not dumb enough to mess with 60 Minutes. If, for no other reason, it would be a PR disaster for the network. Besides, 60 may attract an older audience, but it's an upscale audience...as for golf. Lots of advertisers still want it, and it still makes a ton of money for the network. Blum doesn't know what he's talking about. I worked for CBS and 60 Minutes, so I do.