Newly installed CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss will interview Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in an unusual town hall special scheduled for Dec. 13.
The network said Thursday that the taped show will take place in front of an invited audience at a venue in New York.
It will be the first time Weiss – an anti-woke centrist who founded The Free Press – appears on the CBS broadcast since taking the helm of the storied-but-struggling network in October.
Bari Weiss – the newly installed editor in chief of CBS News – will interview Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in a special later this month. Getty Images for The New York TimesIt’s unusual for top executives at news stations to appear on their own networks, let alone conduct high-profile interviews – but the Kirk sit-down would be the latest head-turner from the hard-charging Weiss, who has been looking to shake up the Tiffany Network.
Erika Kirk has taken over as chair and chief executive of Turning Point USA, the organization known for reaching out to young conservatives on college campuses, since her late husband was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University in September.
Since making headlines for forgiving Charlie Kirk’s killer during his funeral service, Erika Kirk has appeared on Fox News for a one-hour interview. On Wednesday, she closed out the New York Times’ DealBook summit with a commitment to continue her late husband’s “legacy.”
During her appearance at the event, she emphasized the importance of fostering dialogue and leaving room for healthy debate between people on opposite ends of the political spectrum.
CBS News said the town hall will feature her “fielding questions from young evangelicals, prominent religious leaders, and figures across the political spectrum. The conversation will also focus on our country’s political divide – and how we can find our way out.”
It will be the first time Weiss – an anti-woke centrist who founded The Free Press – appears on the CBS broadcast since taking the helm. Getty Images for The Free PressWeiss, meanwhile, was brought to CBS News by David Ellison – chief executive of parent company Paramount Skydance – to elevate “voices from all corners of the spectrum.”
As part of his mission to bring more conservative voices to the struggling news network, Ellison acquired Weiss’ Free Press for $150 million.
Weiss is reportedly planning to run a new, debate-style program at the network, similar to the debates she hosted on her buzzy, contrarian news site.
