Bari Weiss to Host CBS Town Hall With Turning Point USA’s Erika Kirk as Network Signals Big Shift

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly set to host her first major special next month, teaming up with Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk for an hour-long town hall that appears poised to draw significant national attention. The event, scheduled for December 13 at 8 p.m. and announced by CBS parent company Paramount, will give Kirk a platform to discuss the personal and political upheavals she has faced in recent months.

The town hall will center on Kirk’s reflections about losing her husband, Charlie, her new leadership role, the state of American politics, and other topics. It will feature questions from young evangelicals, religious leaders, and participants from across the ideological spectrum, offering a rare forum where faith, culture, and politics intersect before a live audience in New York.

Weiss, who has become known for her willingness to challenge progressive orthodoxy and reshape institutional media from within, praised Kirk’s resilience and public grace following tragedy. “Like so many people around the world, I will never forget the moment that Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer,” Weiss said. “I am eager to speak to her – and thrilled to be doing so in front of a group of Americans who I know will elevate the conversation.”

Kirk assumed the CEO role at Turning Point USA following the assassination of her husband, Charlie, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. Since then, she has stepped into the national spotlight, giving several public addresses, including a widely discussed memorial speech in which she forgave her husband’s alleged killer—an act that resonated deeply with many Americans and drew praise across political lines.

For CBS, the town hall is more than a programming decision—it marks an early step in Weiss’s overhaul of a network long criticized for its entrenched left-leaning bias.

Since taking the reins as editor-in-chief, Weiss has moved aggressively to streamline CBS News and dismantle legacy structures shaped by progressive cultural politics. Her first major decision was eliminating the network’s “race and culture” unit, signaling a shift away from ideological framing and toward broader, more diverse editorial priorities.

Weiss has also made clear her ambition to bring in prominent voices respected by conservatives. Reports surfaced that she hoped to poach Bret Baier from Fox News and CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings. While both have denied that they are making the move, the outreach alone reveals Weiss’s intention to reposition CBS as a network that values ideological balance and is willing to break from the standard media mold.

The upcoming town hall gives Weiss an opportunity to showcase this new direction on a national stage. Pairing her with Kirk—whose personal story and leadership at one of the country’s most influential conservative youth organizations make her a compelling figure—marks a bold editorial choice. It underscores an effort to elevate conversations that extend beyond partisan talking points and highlight themes of faith, forgiveness, and civic engagement.

As December approaches, the event is shaping up to be a major test of Weiss’s strategy to redefine CBS’s identity. With a High-profile guest and a live audience representing communities often underrepresented in mainstream media, the special signals a network trying to reconnect with Americans who have grown distrustful of the traditional press.