CNN – Bias and Credibility

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-3.6)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (3.7)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: TV Station/Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY

History of CNN

In 1980, Ted Turner founded CNN, introducing the first 24-hour news channel. CNN’s original anchors, Bernard Shaw, and Lois Hart, helped establish comprehensive news coverage. The network gained recognition for covering events like the 1986 Challenger disaster and the 1991 Gulf War. Over time, CNN evolved into an international media organization, offering news segments in business, entertainment, and sports.

CNN International and HLN emerged, catering to global audiences. Today, CNN is a leading news source with a robust digital presence through its website and mobile app. 

On 04/24/2023, Don Lemon announced that he had been fired by CNN.

On 1/17/2025 CNN was found liable for defamation against a navy veteran. CNN’s claims were deemed false because the report allegedly implied that Zachary Young’s business profiteered from Afghan refugees during the U.S. withdrawal, which Young argued was misleading and harmed his reputation and business. Evidence presented during the trial, including messages between CNN reporter Alex Marquardt and Young, suggested that the report lacked accurate context and fairness, ultimately convincing the jury that CNN defamed him by portraying his actions dishonestly.

Read our profile on the United States government and media.

Who Owns CNN?

CNN is a key component of WarnerMedia News & Sports, a division under Warner Bros. Discovery. This places CNN within the broader AT&T Inc. umbrella, aligning it with a conglomerate of media and entertainment entities. 

Who Funds CNN?

The network’s financial support and funding come from diverse sources, including advertising revenue, cable and satellite subscription fees, and content licensing agreements.

Analysis / Bias

CNN is known for its comprehensive news coverage. However, some critics argue that the network exhibits a liberal bias in its reporting and editorial stance. CNN’s content may sometimes lean towards progressive viewpoints through the presentation of news stories, selection of guests, and framing of debates. For example, a 2017 Harvard study analyzing media coverage of President Trump’s first 100 days in office found that CNN’s coverage was 93% negative. Former President Trump and many of his supporters have criticized them as fake news.

CNN’s TV programming provides a platform for diverse perspectives by hosting Democratic and Republican commentators and analysts. Ana Navarro is a Republican commentator who frequently appears on CNN’s programming to provide commentary from a conservative perspective. S.E. Cupp is also a conservative commentator who serves as a political analyst for CNN, providing insights on Republican policy and strategy. CNN also hired Chris Wallace from Fox News, another right-leaning commentator. By hosting commentators from both sides of the political spectrum, CNN aims to provide viewers with a well-rounded and balanced perspective on the news. However, the network has also experienced failed fact-checks in the past involving a few TV hosts, such as former Don Lemon and former Prime Time host Chris Cuomo, who is no longer with the network. Nonetheless, news reporting on the website generally remains well-sourced and fact-based.

Editorially, CNN’s programming favors the left. For example, a typical panel discussion will feature 4 to 8 guest commentators, one being a Republican, such as S.E. Cupp or Ana Navarro. This creates a situation where left-leaning voices drown out the right. Prominent news hosts include Wolf Blitzer, Erin Burnett, Jake Tapper, and Anderson Cooper.

The network’s website, CNN.com, serves as a primary source for breaking news, analysis, and opinion pieces across a spectrum of topics, from politics and health to entertainment and technology. While CNN has faced criticism for a perceived liberal bias, particularly in its television editorial content, its online news reporting endeavors to maintain balance and objectivity.

News Articles and headlines on the website typically do not contain loaded emotional wording such as this The Odysseus lunar lander is sideways on the moon, company that built it says. This story, like all reviewed, is properly sourced.

CNN’s website frequently reports on political news stories such as this What to know about South Carolina’s GOP primary. While this story is low biased, others demonstrate a left-leaning bias typically through bias by omission by not reporting negatively on Democrats, but frequently portraying conservatives and former President Trump negatively like this ‘I couldn’t be more offended’: Analyst reacts to Trump’s comments about Black voters.

Editorially, the website features opinion pieces by writers and hosts that usually favor the left, such as this Opinion: Seven reasons a second Trump term would be dangerous. However, they also criticize President Biden in this Opinion: How Trump made one of ‘the worst diplomatic agreements’ in US history and how Biden carried it out.

On 08/01/2024 CNN announced it was shutting down its opinion page on the website.

In general, CNN.com holds left-leaning biases with opinion pieces and political news reporting, while straight news reporting is usually reliable and factual.

Failed Fact Checks

• If President Trump decides to deploy the U.S. military domestically, he would be “mobilizing U.S. military troops on American soil for the first time since 1807.” – False (Corrected)
•  “Greenland’s ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, according to new study” – Low Scientific Credibility

What is the Bias of CNN?

Overall, we rate CNN moderately left-center biased based on editorial positions by TV hosts that consistently favor the left, while straight news reporting falls just left of center through bias by omission. We also rate them as Mostly Factual in reporting rather than high due to two failed fact checks in the last five years. (5/16/2016) Updated (M. Huitsing 01/20/2025)

Source: https://www.cnn.com/