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CBS

Cbs 60 Minutes

Format

Investigative News Magazine

Length

12-15 min per segment (3 segments per episode)

Timeslot

Sunday 7:00 PM ET, CBS

Exposé length

2-3 pages

Editorial tone

Investigative, authoritative, classic journalism. 60 Minutes is the longest-running news magazine on US television (since 1968). Each segment follows a clear pattern: reporter leads the story, confronts those responsible, exposes wrongdoing. Sober, fact-based tone. No sensationalism, but dramaturgically tight.

What this format covers

  • ●Investigative exposés with societal impact
  • ●Portraits of influential figures
  • ●International conflicts and crises
  • ●Corporate scandals and consumer protection
  • ●Cultural and scientific breakthroughs

What this format does NOT want

  • ●Pure entertainment or lifestyle
  • ●Long-form segments over 20 minutes
  • ●Formats without investigative component
  • ●Auteur films or essayistic documentaries

Visual expectations

Classic interview setup (two-camera), undercover material, hidden cameras for investigations, on-location shoots worldwide. Graphics and archive material as support. The reporter is always visible and drives the story.

Expected exposé structure

  1. Headline
  2. Story Summary (1 paragraph)
  3. Key Characters
  4. Access and Evidence
  5. Why Now?
  6. Reporter Suggestion

Example productions

  • 60 Minutes: The Whistleblower (Jeffrey Wigand, 1996)
  • 60 Minutes: Putin Interview (2024)
  • 60 Minutes: Inside the Opioid Crisis

Editorial notes

60 Minutes is the most-watched news format in the US with an average of 8-10 million viewers. Internationally, segments are licensed as standalone short reports. Pitch material must clearly demonstrate news value — no entertainment.

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