CBS News’ Erika Kirk Town Hall Brings in 1.9 Million Viewers

CBS News’ Erika Kirk town hall brought in nearly 2 million viewers as it aired on Saturday, Dec. 13, boosting ratings for the program 63% over its past week’s performance.

“CBS News Presents: A Town Hall With Erika Kirk” scored 1.9 million viewers with 265,000 in the 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen big data plus panel figures.

As the one-hour town hall scored 185 million views on TikTok, Facebook, X and Instagram, Bari Weiss’ interview with Kirk became CBS News’ most-watched interview ever on social media. Additionally, the town hall garnered  13.9 million minutes on CBS News 24/7. 

When compared to the previous week’s airing of holiday movie “Reindeer in Here” in the same timeslot, the special was up 63% in total viewers and saw a 35% increase in the 25-54 demo as well as a 6% increase in the 18-49 demo.

Kirk’s appearance also outpaced CBS’ season-to-date performance in the Saturday 8:00pm time period in all measurements, with total viewers up 32%, the 25-54 demo up 19% and adults 18-49 up 14%.

The town hall was recorded Dec. 10 at 12 p.m. ET, and was said to cover “faith, grief, perseverance and the memory of her husband, Charlie Kirk.” Weiss defended her choice to bring her on the show, saying that it’s important to have conversations with people you don’t agree with.

“I just fundamentally disagree with the idea that we shouldn’t be able to speak across divides,” Weiss said on CBS Mornings. “That doesn’t mean that there are not lines. The question, of course, is whether or not Charlie Kirk crossed those lines and in my view, you hear me quote many of the controversial things he said — needless to say, there are many things Charlie Kirk said in his life that I vehemently disagree with, but, to me, that’s not the point. The point is that we are walking into an abyss as a country if we accept the idea that words are violence, but violence, if directed at the right targets, is acceptable.”

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