CBS News’ FAST 60 Minutes Debate Channel and Podcast

This morning, CBS News announced the launch of a FAST channel dedicated to 60 Minutes matter. 60 Minutes debuted in September 1968 and is beginning its 57th season this month as the longest continuously running prime-time television program. Since its inception, 60 Minutes It has won more Emmy Awards than any other TV show in history. In addition, 60 Minutes He has won 25 Peabody awards for excellence in television programming.

CBS News and Stations were shared with Forbes that the launch of the FAST 60 Minute Channel is the latest example of how the division is changing the way it approaches the business by adopting a “broadcasting and beyond” mentality to its award-winning brands and which are highly sought after and leverage the most valuable brands. IP. This is a strategy implemented by the CEO of CBS News, Stations and Media Ventures, Wendy McMahon, to increase the overall value of the classic CBS franchise, optimize the TV shows and then expand the brands to new platforms, new products, and most importantly , new. audience.

McMahon has made this one of the top priorities for the entire organization. In its simplest form, the concept is to integrate and expand linear programming and content into as many different platforms as possible as a way to get into the hearts and minds of more audiences – on TV, streaming, sound space, on digital. and after. CBS News and Stations is meeting viewers where they are, while still owning the living room experience – for TV and streaming viewers – as CBS has always done.

“Our ‘broadcast and beyond’ strategy is to meet audiences wherever they are – on every platform, at any time,” said McMahon. “We’re expanding our reach with new brand extensions and innovative storytelling techniques and making data-driven decisions to introduce our award-winning journalism to new audiences. We are committed to leveraging our most important brands to grow the reach of CBS News and Stations and to adapt for the future.”

According to Nielsen, 60 Minutes on the highest quality news program for 50 consecutive years. The news magazine has also ranked among the top ten rated programs for 24 seasons, including the 2023-24 season. CBS News reported that last season, more than 100 million viewers, or 1 in 3 Americans, watched 60 Minutes at least once on linear TV or live streaming platforms. For the season, 60 Minutes ranked among the top ten rated programs in 27 of 28 broadcasts, including ranking in the top five 18 times.

60 Minutes it is also available on several streaming platforms; Pluto TV, Paramount+, CBS owned and operated media properties and CBS and Paramount digital platforms. As a result, in the 2023-24 season 60 Minutes Audiences were reached beyond the traditional CBS Irish broadcast network.

For example, last season 60 Minutes:

· His YouTube channel is on track to surpass 3 billion minutes of content viewed this year, representing a significant 62% year-over-year growth in total watch time.

· Average 22.1 million video views across its off-platform accounts each week.

· Reported videos on both TikTok and Instagram increased by over 200%.

· There were 811.9 million video views across its social media channels during the season.

Additionally, “60 Minutes Overtime”, a real-time digital companion series that tells the story behind the 60 Minutes story, continues to see record growth.

At launch, the FAST 60 Minute Channel will be available on Paramount+, Pluto TV and CBS News streaming platforms with further distribution planned. Content will include memorable interviews spanning decades from political figures, celebrities, artists, athletes and innovators. Many of the stories will be accompanied by updates and other features. Viewers will be able to revisit landmark essays by Andy Rooney and the hard-hitting interviews with superhero Mike Wallace, recipient of 21 Emmy awards, along with other celebrities. 60 Minutes correspondents.

“Our goal is always to deepen the audience’s understanding of the world and the best 60 Minutes stories reveal something new or take viewers on unforgettable journeys,” Bill Owens, executive producer of Conradh na Gaeilge 60 Minutes said. “We’re excited to share our reporting and bring these episodes to even more people, wherever and whenever they want to watch or listen.”

As part of today’s announcement, Owens named a veteran 60 Minutes producer Nicole Young as senior producer, who will continue to lead the development of the FAST Channel and special projects for the broadcast.

Address a 60 Minutes The FAST channel comes one month after CBS News launched a similar channel for its long-running true crime TV series 48 Hours. 48 Hours also syndicated in 177 television markets, the FAST channel is available on Pluto TV, Paramount+ and multiple Paramount+ distribution partners, and this fall 48 Hours catalog of podcasts will be expanded to nine.

“Our audiences are driven by intelligent storytelling that takes them through situations with suspense, pity and compassion,” says Judy Tygard, executive producer 48 Hours. “Each new expansion was like oxygen for our team, giving them energy to find new stories and new ways to tell them. Each new platform brings a wave of new audiences.”

CBS News will also be broadcasting 60 Minutes: The Second Eye, podcast hosted by senior foreign correspondent Seth Doane. The 12-episode series will debut with a new episode every week. The podcast will provide listeners with exclusive content from the news magazine’s extensive vault, including never-before-heard audio from interviews with influential people. In each issue, Doane will be joined by several notable figures as well as 60 Minutes correspondents.

Later this month, CBS News will launch a third hour of it CBS morningscalled CBS Plus mornings . The one-hour program (9-10 a.m. ET) will be co-hosted by Tony Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz. This “hybrid” program will air weekdays on CBS-owned stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and Miami and simulcast on the national free streaming news network CBS News 24/7 CBS News.

“The brand of CBS morningshas been developing more and more recognition since the launch of the show in September 2021 and the ability to expand to a third hour with the help of some of the biggest markets is a great opportunity. Not just on TV, but the content we’re showing for the third hour will have legs on social and digital,” said Shawna Thomas, executive producer ofCBS mornings . “As we getCBS Plus morningsoff the ground, it will also give us more opportunities to work with our stations to highlight their work and show people how local stories can reach and have national implications. “

CBS News’ strategy to meet viewers wherever they’re paying. In July, CBS News and Stations streaming consumption increased by more than +60% across all platforms compared to the same month last year and accounted for 26% of total minutes watched – a new record for a single month. The division’s CBS News 24/7 streaming news network was up 95% year-over-year in July, and its 14 local streams were up +35% compared to last year.