TV - Movies
The 60 Minutes
Episode That Had
Audiences Sending In
Complaint Letters
By JOE CAPRARO
Since its debut in 1968, "60 Minutes" has become synonymous with impeccably-produced investigative journalism, but not every episode is perfect. one January 9, 2022 episode titled "The Big Quit," which covers changes in the American workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, caused angry viewers to send out complaints via social media and email.
Of the four people interviewed by Bill Whitaker in "The Big Quit," two were business owners and one was an economic expert; the only employee interviewed was a marketing professional named Melissa Williams. Whitaker and the business owners repeatedly talk down to Williams and call her a "part of a trend" for voicing concerns about burnout and feeling overworked.
Viewers were angry that the episode prioritized business owners' point of view over that of employees, who are facing wealth inequality and being shamed for not coming to work in person in the middle of a global health crisis. One Reddit user said the episode was full of "smug condescension, and platitudes about how 'empowered' we all are."
"60 Minutes" reinforcing the idea that workers are "empowered," when quitting your job due to a pandemic is anything but empowering, causing many netizens to send in complaints. One Reddit user urged the show to "please dig deeper with your reporting, and with more attention to the people who actually make our country work. Without us, it all falls apart."