Season 9
Episode Guide
Finding Common Ground | CBS Reports
S9
E14
Los Angeles is home to one of the largest populations of Jews in the world, and one of the largest populations of Muslims in America. For almost two decades, a group there has been trying to build bonds between these two communities, but the attack of Oct. 7, 2023 and its aftermath are putting that mission to the test. CBS Reports and CBS News Race and Culture examine these challenges and explore how the next generation may hold the key to forging paths to unity amid adversity.
Ultra Processed | Food Tech & the American Diet
S9
E13
Americans are among the world's biggest consumers of ultra-processed foods, which comprise more than half of an average adult’s diet and two-thirds of a child’s. As technology continues to accelerate innovations in additives, chemicals and food products, U.S. regulators are struggling to keep up. CBS Reports examines why ultra-processed foods have become so pervasive in the American diet, and what filling the gaps in federal regulation can do to ensure Americans are fed and healthy.
CBS Reports | Does Big Plastic's Idea Work?
S9
E12
As America grapples with an escalating plastic crisis, the city of Houston, ExxonMobil and other partners announced a new program that promised to recycle nearly all of the city's plastic waste. However, after two years, the program has yet to fully materialize. Critics argue that the evidence suggests it never will. And yet, the company envisions similar programs in other American cities. CBS Reports and Inside Climate News investigate whether this proposed solution to our plastic recycling crisis is indeed too good to be true.
Model Prisons: California's Push for Reform
S9
E11
Nearly 95% of people currently in prison will be released back into society, and historically a significant percentage are likely to reoffend. In California, authorities are trying to change that by providing inmates access to education, work and other rehabilitative privileges — programs that have been shown to reduce recidivism and increase public safety. CBS Reports examines a controversial approach some see as being “soft on crime,” which now may be preventing it.
CBS Reports | America Unfiltered: The Voices Behind the Polls
S9
E10
You've seen the CBS News polls that tell you what voters think about big ideas like democracy and the American Dream. Now CBS Reports takes you behind the polls for unfiltered conversations about how their personal stories shaped their views.
The Power of Sheriffs | CBS Reports
S9
E9
A murder plot discussed on tape implicating a sheriff in southeastern Oklahoma triggers a CBS News investigation, uncovering a pattern of abuses that have gone largely unchecked for years. It's a cautionary tale that reveals an unsettling reality for small towns across America: when sheriffs abuse their power, people can die and there's little to hold them accountable.
Anything for Love: The Romance Scam Epidemic
S9
E8
Romance scammers drain billions of dollars from people seeking love, and their tactics have evolved in sinister ways in the online age. CBS News goes inside this devastating epidemic unfolding largely in secret, following the journey of an Illinois woman seeking answers after her mother’s mysterious death.
No Place Like Home | CBS Reports
S9
E7
CBS Reports goes to Illinois, which has one of the highest rates of institutionalization in the country, to understand the challenges families face keeping their developmentally disabled loved ones at home.
Raising the Stakes | CBS Reports
S9
E6
As more states legalize gambling, online sportsbooks have spent billions courting the next generation of bettors. And now, as mobile apps offer 24/7 access to placing wagers, addiction groups say more young people are seeking help than ever before. CBS Reports explores what experts say is a hidden epidemic lurking behind a sports betting bonanza that's leaving a trail of broken lives.
Toxic Fog | CBS Reports
S9
E5
In February 2023, a quiet community in Ohio was blindsided by disaster when a train derailed and authorities decided to unleash a plume of toxic smoke in an attempt to avoid an explosion. Days later, residents and the media thought the story was over, but in fact it was just beginning. What unfolded in East Palestine is a cautionary tale for every town and city in America.
The End of Affirmative Action | CBS Reports
S9
E4
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action in college admissions, CBS Reports examines the fog of uncertainty for students and administrators who say the decision threatens to unravel decades of progress.
The Watchlist | CBS Reports
S9
E3
CBS Reports examines the legacy of the U.S. government's terrorist watchlist, 20 years after its inception. In the years since 9/11, the database has grown exponentially to target an estimated 2 million people, while those who believe they were wrongfully added are struggling to clear their names.
A Nation in Transition | CBS Reports
S9
E2
In the 2023 legislative season, over two-thirds of U.S. states either passed or proposed laws restricting gender-affirming care, and lawmakers are debating policies that directly affect the lives of trans youth. CBS Reports sent three correspondents to three key states of a nation in transition to examine the difficult conversations rippling across the country.
America's Migration Reckoning | CBS Reports
S9
E1
Major cities far from the southern border are struggling to deal with the arrival of record numbers of migrants. In New York City, the right to shelter is being tested — and tensions are rising. CBS Reports examines the crossroads of families fighting for a future, a city struggling to keep up, and a nation in the throes of a migration reckoning.