Paramount’s victory within the Warner Bros. Discovery merger battle is inflicting nice unrest inside CNN. Fox Information is discovering nameless CNN staffers freaking out on the information. On CNN’s The Scenario Room, chief media analyst Brian Stelter impressed an unintentional snigger riot when he mentioned Paramount’s purpose of reports that is “balanced and fact-based….certain sounds loads like CNN’s mission.”
He additionally tried to handle the upkeep of liberal bias, which he described as “editorial independence” that defines CNN. It is a fraught time period, contemplating CNN did not precisely present independence on tales like President Biden’s psychological decline — though Jake Tapper caught up after the election.
STELTER: Now, extra broadly, CNN staff and viewers have actual concern about whether or not Paramount CEO David Ellison will uphold the editorial independence that CNN is understood for. There was extreme political turbulence in latest months, and President Trump has lengthy sought to weaken CNN. Final December, Trump mentioned, quote, it is crucial that CNN be offered, and now that’s what’s occurring.
Stelter famous Paramount “has not commented on its victory” over the leftists at Netflix, “or telegraphed its intentions for CNN, and up to date controversy that CBS Information have unsettled and unnerved journalists there.” CBS Information leftists have been upset even on the noise about shifting towards the middle, even if you cannot discover a lot that in CBS newscasts.
In his “Dependable Sources” publication, Stelter acknowledged this truth: “Paramount is difficult. Left-wing claims about CBS turning into right-wing state TV do not replicate the total actuality of what is airing on CBS.”
Then got here the “balanced” CNN hilarity:
Stelter: David Ellison “has talked about his perception that, quote, ‘the vast majority of the nation longs for information that’s balanced and is fact-based.’ And, Wolf, that certain sounds loads like CNN’s mission, loads of similarities right here.” LOL pic.twitter.com/KhAw00jR1y
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) February 27, 2026
However I can let you know, Ellison has talked in latest months about how he needs to maintain the information enterprise in america. And he has talked about his perception that, quote, “the vast majority of the nation longs for information that’s balanced and is fact-based.” And, Wolf, that certain sounds loads like CNN’s mission, loads of similarities right here. And the underside line is CNN is a extremely worthwhile enterprise and it might appear silly for anybody to place that in danger.
Wolf Blitzer famous to Stelter that California lawyer normal Rob Bonta is making noises a few “vigorous assessment” of this merger. Stelter discovered “it is notable to listen to a Democrat like Bonta saying that, as a result of Paramount’s makes an attempt to placed on a Trump-friendly face in latest months have led to Democratic accusations of corruption and guarantees of future investigations.”
“Trump-friendly” information is equated with corruption. In his publication, Stelter added one other Democrat:
Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted simply now, “Paramount ought to take pleasure in its rising information monopoly whereas they’ve it as a result of when Democrats win again energy we’re going to break up these anti-democratic info conglomerates. All of them.”
Can the left-wing media settle for what clearly feels like “bullying” noises about “anti-democratic info conglomerates”? Is that the sound of authoritarianism? As a result of that is what CNN says when Trump decries “faux information.”
Then there’s the hilarity of Paramount or every other media outlet having a “information monopoly” when there are nonetheless so many highly effective and worthwhile liberal media retailers.
