CBS News and The Free Press are partnering to revive honest debate on the issues that matter most — and are often the hardest to talk about. 

"Things That Matter," a series of planned town halls and debates sponsored by Bank of America, will launch early next year. The lineup includes town halls with the people shaping politics, culture and technology, and will be held across the country in front of audiences who have a stake in the topics under debate.

Vice President JD Vance will join the next town hall, followed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The series will also feature debates on feminism, religion and more.

"We believe that the vast majority of Americans crave honest conversation and civil, passionate debate," said Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News and co-founder of The Free Press. "This series is for them. In a moment in which people believe that truth is whatever they are served on their social media feed, we can think of nothing more important than insisting that the only way to get to the truth is by speaking to one another."

"Things That Matter" will center around the most important issues shaping Americans' lives, including immigration, public health, foreign policy, AI, and the state of politics. The debates will show how the power of America's earliest principles — civil, substantive discussion, free of rancor — have immense value today. 

Bank of America, which traces its lineage to 1794, is sponsoring the series to support dialogue and debate during the country's 250th anniversary year.

An early lineup includes:

Town halls with:

• Vance on the state of the country and the future of the American right
• Altman on AI
• Moore on the state of the country and the future of the American left

Debates on:

• Gen Z and the American Dream with Isabel Brown and Harry Sisson
• God and meaning with Ross Douthat and Steven Pinker
• The sexual revolution with Liz Plank and Allie Beth Stuckey 

This launch comes on the heels of CBS News' town hall with Erika Kirk, which drove double-digit ratings increases in its timeslot and generated nearly 200 million views across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X — making it CBS News' most-watched interview ever on social media. Kirk talked about faith, grief, and the moment she decided to forgive her late husband's accused killer in the wide-ranging conversation, available to stream here.