FLASH: 60 Minutes Wednesday: Cancelled

CBS is cancelling “60 Minutes Wednesday.” Les Moonves made the announcement this morning at a breakfast meeting with jorunalists. “This was a ratings call and not a content call,” Moonves said, according to the New York Times. He stressed the fact that the newsmagazine had some of the oldest viewers of any program on the network.

> “Now that the program has been canceled, [Dan] Rather will probably be given a slot on the Sunday edition of “60 Minutes” through 2006, according to two people familiar with his contract.”

> Update #1: 10:04am: The newsmag is in its eighth season. Here is the program’s “biography.”

> Update #2: 10:09am: 60 Minutes Wed. will remain on the air until the new show lineup premieres in the fall, a CBS spokeswoman tells TVNewser.

> Update #3: 10:14am: David Bauder reports that last fall’s ill-fated story about President Bush’s military service…didn’t figure in the decision to cancel the show, “not even slightly,” Moonves said. Also: “CBS will likely run news specials during the year in prime-time, he said.”

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