Venerable "60 Minutes" has just wrapped up its best season in seven years averaging 14.29 million Total Viewers -- good enough to rank as the 13th most-watched broadcast show of the 2008-09 season, its best ranking since the 1999-'00 season. The last time "60" had as many viewers was the 2001-'02 season when the newsmagazine averaged 14.85m.

"60 Minutes" scored with Steve Kroft's first post-election interview with Pres.-elect Obama, the first interview with hero pilot Capt. Chesley Sullenberger conducted by Katie Couric and Scott Pelley's interview of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The show grew 10% in Total Viewers and 8% in A18-49 viewers.

Said CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus said, "I credit [EP] Jeff Fager and his team for once again setting the standard for the entire industry. With respect to quality, relevance and television ratings, 60 Minutes is truly in a class by itself."

Added Fager, "It has been an extraordinary season by every measure and it makes us proud that our gains came with important interviews and solid reporting on the big stories of the year."