’60 Minutes’ Ratings Disaster as Viewers Abandon CBS Show

60 Minutes finally aired a shelved report on the El Salvador mega-prison CECOT on Sunday, January 18, but it was too little too late, as viewers abandoned the long-running news program.

According to The Guardian, citing Nielsen numbers, the January 18 broadcast was watched by an average of 4.9 million viewers. This was way down from the show’s average of 8.32 million viewers in the 2024-2025 season. However, the number won’t affect 60 Minutes‘ season average because of the show’s bosses craftily arranged for the episode to have a slightly different name.

As noted by CNN media analyst Brian Stelter on X, CBS rebranded the January 18 show as “60 Minutes Presents,” which he described as “a labeling trick all the networks use at various times” so as not to “weigh down the season average.”

CBS also knew Sunday’s episode would be low rated, so for Nielsen measurement purposes CBS called the show “60 Minutes Presents” so that Sunday’s ratings won’t weigh down the season average for “60 Minutes.” This is a labeling trick all the networks use at various times https://t.co/wx5alxcfqZ

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 21, 2026

The report from Sharyn Alfonsi on men deported to the infamous facility under the Trump administration was originally scheduled to air on December 21. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss yanked it at the time due to a lack of an on-camera response from the White House.

Alfonsi blasted Weiss’ decision in an internal memo, arguing that she had repeatedly sought comment from the White House and had received no response. “If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a “kill switch” for any reporting they find inconvenient,” she stated.

The report finally aired last Sunday, but many fans accused Weiss of burying the segment in a “dead time slot.” The January 18 episode of 60 Minutes went up against the highly-anticipated NFL playoff games.

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One fan wrote, “The same night when two of the largest media markets in the country will be watching playoff football. Not a coincidence.”

“Buried in a death slot against Rams-Bears on NBC. As Weiss intended,” wrote another.

The report ended up airing without comment from the White House, with Alfonsi telling viewers at the top of the segment, “Since November, 60 Minutes has made several attempts to interview key Trump administration officials on camera about our story. They declined our requests.”