This week on “Sunday Morning” (February 16)

The Emmy Award-winning “CBS News Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.  “Sunday Morning” also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) 

Hosted by Jane Pauley. 

       
COVER STORY: Universal truths about marriage and divorce
Divorce rates in America dropped 27 percent between 2012 and 2022, but some couples are still facing challenges when it comes to keeping a marriage intact. Correspondent Susan Spencer talks with therapist Marissa Nelson and divorce lawyer Robert Stephan Cohen about what advice they give couples; and hears marital tips from Danielle and Adam Silverstein, whose podcast, “Marriage and Martinis,” is a no-holds-barred examination of how relationships can be tested.

For more info:

       
ALMANAC: February 16
“Sunday Morning” looks back at historical events on this date.

BOOKS: David Macaulay, America’s “Explainer-in-chief”
Author David Macaulay has spent more than 50 years finding ways to explain things, via his humorous and intricately illustrated books featuring wooly mammoth guides – his attempt to hook young readers on the wonders right before their eyes. Macaulay visits the “Building Stories” exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., and explains to correspondent Martha Teichner how, for Macaulay, sketching is seeing, and why procrastination can be a gift.

For more info:

        
U.S.: A government worker’s message for Elon Musk
Since taking office, President Trump and his advisor, billionaire business owner Elon Musk, have worked to winnow the ranks of federal workers. At times questioning the contributions of some federal employees, they are also enticing more than two million government employees to quit, and have moved to shutter entire agencies. But how will the public lose out if government workers lose their jobs? “Sunday Morning” national correspondent Robert Costa reports. 

For more info:

MOVIES: Edward Norton on becoming Pete Seeger in “A Complete Unknown”
Actor Edward Norton received his fourth Oscar nomination for his portrayal of legendary folk singer Pete Seeger in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” He talks with correspondent Tracy Smith about cultivating authenticity in his performances, such as learning the banjo; his response to the early critical reaction toward “Fight Club”; and reflects on the advice of a casting director who once suggested he find another profession. They also visit the legendary Shangri-La recording studio, in Malibu, California, considered hallowed ground for Dylan fans.

To watch a trailer for “A Complete Unknown,” click on the video player below:

      
For more info:

      
PASSAGE: In memoriam
“Sunday Morning” remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week.

      
U.S.: Building a humane world for animals
The Black Beauty Ranch, in East Texas, is a sanctuary where hundreds of rescued animals – from donkeys, tigers and bison, to kangaroos, macaques and lemurs – reside in a protected habitat. Correspondent Conor Knighton looks at the work of the Humane Society of the United States, whose name change to Humane World for Animals underscores its mission to improve the welfare of animals across the globe.

For more info:

       
HARTMAN: TBD

     
TV: Looking back at 50 years of “Saturday Night Live”
On October 11, 1975, people tuning into the debut of a late-night comedy show saw something unlike any TV variety extravaganza they’d ever seen. Fifty years later, “Saturday Night Live,” produced almost continuously by Lorne Michaels, is now an entrenched part of pop culture – 90 minutes of live comedy sketches, commercial parodies and musical acts, headlined by a different celebrity host each week. Correspondent Mo Rocca talks with former cast members Rachel Dratch and Fred Armisen, writers Alan Zweibel and Paula Pell, and with Susan Morrison, author of “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live,” about the creation of a television landmark.

For more info:

      
SUNDAY JOURNAL: Middle East latest
Chris Livesay reports.

       
COMMENTARY: Marvin Kalb on how a Trump-Putin summit could lead to disaster
Veteran CBS and NBC journalist Marvin Kalb discusses why he believes an agreement between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that betrays Ukraine could send a chilling message to the rest of the world about America’s position as a trusted global leader.

For more info:

• “A Different Russia: Khrushchev and Kennedy on a Collision Course” by Marvin Kalb (BookBaby), in Trade Paperback format, available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble

      
NATURE: TBD
      

WEB EXCLUSIVES:

EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Cynthia Erivo (YouTube Video)
In this web exclusive, Cynthia Erivo, the Oscar-nominated star of the film ‘Wicked,” talks with Seth Doane about making and promoting the film version of the hit Broadway musical, and how she brought the character of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, to life. She also discusses the origins of her passion for acting; her unique process of recording an album; and the prospect of becoming an EGOT winner.  

IN MEMORIAM: Notable Deaths in 2025 (Gallery)
A look back at the esteemed personalities who left us this year, who’d touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.

The Emmy Award-winning “CBS News Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.

DVR Alert! Find out when “Sunday Morning” airs in your city 

“Sunday Morning” also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) 

Full episodes of “Sunday Morning” are now available to watch on demand on CBSNews.com, CBS.com and Paramount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox. 

Follow us on Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; TikTok; and at cbssundaymorning.com.  

You can also download the free “Sunday Morning” audio podcast at iTunes and at Play.it. Now you’ll never miss the trumpet!