If you’ve watched the NFL on CBS over the years, you’re familar with the refrain “Coming up, 60 Minutes, except on the West Coast.” Whether it’s Jim Nantz or if you’re old school, “Pat Summerall,” hearing it at 7 p.m. ET as an NFL game runs over has become as familiar as the NFL disclaimer, “(insert network here) welcomes you to this presentation of the National Football League.” With the advance of social media, CBS has been issuing alerts via Twitter, Facebook and its website for NFL overruns in the Eastern and Central time zones.

At one time, CBS used to issue alerts via text messages, but it stopped that years ago. Now, it’s making sure viewers know about the overruns to its Sunday primetime lineup whether via on-air graphics, on the CBS website and through Twitter and Facebook.

On doubleheader Sundays, the CBS lineup is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, but we’ve seen the late game end up to 20 minutes later, pushing the start of 60 Minutes to 7:50 p.m. or later. The overruns affect the rest of the lineup and viewers who are DVR’ing their favorite shows such as Madame Secretary or Elementary.

This Suinday, Fox has the doubleheader so CBS’ primetime lineup will start at 7 p.m. and on time. But for Weeks 2 and 3, the schedule is as follows:

September 18:

7:30 PM, ET; 6:30 PM, CT — 60 MINUTES
8:30 PM, ET; 7:30 PM, CT — THE CASE OF: JONBENÉT RAMSEY (Part one, two hours)
10:30 PM, ET; 9:30 PM, CT — NCIS: LOS ANGELES (Rebroadcast)

September 25:

7:30 PM, ET; 6:30 PM, CT — 60 MINUTES (49th season premiere)
8:30 PM, ET; 7:30 PM, CT — THE CASE OF: JONBENÉT RAMSEY

(Part three, two hours — part two airs Sept. 19)

As of October 23:

7:30 PM, ET; 6:30 PM, CT — 60 MINUTES
8:30 PM, ET; 7:30 PM, CT — NCIS: LOS ANGELES
9:30 PM, ET; 8:30 PM, CT — MADAM SECRETARY
10:30 PM, ET; 9:30 PM, CT — ELEMENTARY

So to sum up, the overrun alerts on NFL doubleheader Sundays will be done as follows;

  • The home page of CBS.com will feature a ticker with revised start times when there are delays.
  • CBS will continue to use on-air graphics throughout the night to alert viewers to adjusted start times.
  • Updates will be posted to Twitter via @CBSTweet and @CBS, to Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CBS and to the Sunday series’ Twitter and Facebook accounts

So if you don’t pay attention to the time, you again have plenty of ways to keep track of the NFL overruns on CBS.

[CBS Press Express]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.