CBS Picks Bari Weiss to Lead Town Hall With Erika Kirk

CBS News' new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss will step in front of the cameras to moderate a prime-time town hall featuring Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative figure Charlie Kirk, the Guardian reports. The event, set to air on Dec. 13 at 8pm ET, will center on "grief, faith, politics, and more," per internal marketing materials. The actual taping is scheduled for Dec. 10 in New York City. The network has yet to make a public announcement, and a spokesperson declined to comment.

Weiss, who took the helm at CBS News in October with a mandate to broaden the network's political perspective, has so far kept a low public profile—though she did help organize a high-profile interview of Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice in October, even if she didn't appear herself. This town hall marks her first on-air role at the network. Prospective attendees are being asked about their political and religious views, including whether they identify as conservative or evangelical Christian, which religious figures they admire, and if they are grieving a loved one. In a recent piece about how Weiss wants to shake things up at CBS, the Wall Street Journal referred to her as an "anti-woke crusader." The Washington Post also published a recent piece on the "culture clash" that ensued during Weiss' first month in the top spot.

Since the killing of her husband in September, Erika Kirk has become a prominent voice in conservative circles and media. She recently spoke at the New York Times DealBook summit, emphasizing the need for open dialogue in America. "If you really want to heal this country … you're going to have to do it by talking to each other," Kirk said. "You can't keep cancelling one another thinking that's going to resolve everything."