CBS News Launches Town Hall Series

CBS News has announced a new primetime series titled Things That Matter, featuring town halls and debates in partnership with The Free Press, the digital media outlet co-founded by CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.

The series launches in early 2026 with Vice President JD Vance as the first participant, discussing the state of the country and the future of the Republican Party. 

Other confirmed town halls include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on artificial intelligence and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on the future of the Democratic Party. 

Weiss, Vance

Planned debates will tackle provocative topics such as "Does America Need God?", "Has Feminism Failed Women?", and "Should Gen Z Believe in the American Dream?"Bank of America is sponsoring the series, tying it to America's 250th anniversary and emphasizing civil dialogue. CBS stated: “We live in a divided country... THINGS THAT MATTER aims to change that” by promoting conversation across political divides.

The announcement follows a December 13 town hall moderated by Weiss with Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of its late founder Charlie Kirk. That event drew about 1.9 million viewers—down 11% year-over-year in its time slot and 41% in the key 25-54 demographic—prompting some outlets to call it a ratings flop, though CBS highlighted nearly 200 million social media views.

Weiss, appointed CBS News editor-in-chief in October 2025 after Paramount (now under Skydance Media) acquired The Free Press in a reported $150 million deal, has faced internal criticism but is pushing forward with this format. The series will feature rotating CBS hosts and live audiences affected by the issues, held across the U.S.