Former '60 Minutes' Producer Critiques Show's Ratings and Leadership Changes

<figure><img alt="Bari Weiss" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/QX5PF7TAOJDCZG3727KC7NCPAM.JPG?auth=e39b50a5c73cd91133dcafde15eeb18209a8684e048b62c15353b5c4a3b02bf8&amp;smart=true&amp;width=4491&amp;height=2526" /><figcaption>Mike Blake/Reuters</figcaption></figure><p>The former managing editor of <i>60 Minutes</i>, Guy Campanile, has expressed criticism regarding the show's recent performance and changes in leadership. The program's 59th season premiere on September 16, 2026, attracted 7.94 million viewers, the lowest for a season opener since at least 2000, according to Nielsen ratings. The 25-54 demographic also saw a decline, dropping to 1.6 million viewers.</p><p>Campanile, who was dismissed by CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, commented on the ratings drop, stating, "I can best sum it up as you are what the scoreboard says you are," in an interview with Breaker.</p><p>Prior to the premiere, Campanile had posted on Facebook that he and other former colleagues, including Tanya Simon and Scott Pelley, had refused to compromise their journalistic integrity under Weiss's leadership. He indicated that Weiss's decision to replace Simon with Nick Bilton has negatively impacted the show, noting that Simon had previously increased viewership by nine percent.</p><p>Campanile stated, "If they don’t grow 9% by the end of the year, you have failed. [Weiss] owns it for better or worse. The viewers will always have the last word in this story."</p><p>The ratings decline occurred despite CBS airing Sunday night football, which typically serves as a strong lead-in for broadcast programs. The NFL games featuring the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals, as well as the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, attracted a larger audience than any other cable program, with CBS's NFL coverage drawing about 18.4 million viewers, a decrease from 23.7 million the previous year.</p><p>In response to the low ratings, CBS announced that the next episode of <i>60 Minutes</i> would feature an interview with Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, who was involved in a highly publicized trial related to the deaths of their children.</p>