Paramount's victory in the Warner Bros. Discovery merger battle is causing great unrest inside CNN. Fox News is finding anonymous CNN staffers freaking out at the news. On CNN's The Situation Room, chief media analyst Brian Stelter inspired an unintentional laugh riot when he said Paramount's goal of news that's "balanced and fact-based....sure sounds a lot like CNN's mission."
He also tried to address the maintenance of liberal bias, which he described as "editorial independence" that defines CNN. This is a fraught term, considering CNN didn't exactly show independence on stories like President Biden's mental decline -- although Jake Tapper caught up after the election.
STELTER: Now, more broadly, CNN employees and viewers have real concern about whether Paramount CEO David Ellison will uphold the editorial independence that CNN is known for. There has been severe political turbulence in recent months, and President Trump has long sought to weaken CNN. Last December, Trump said, quote, it's imperative that CNN be sold, and now that is what's happening.
Stelter noted Paramount "has not commented on its victory" over the leftists at Netflix, "or telegraphed its intentions for CNN, and recent controversy that CBS News have unsettled and unnerved journalists there." CBS News leftists have been upset even at the noise about moving toward the center, even if you can't find much that in CBS newscasts.
In his "Reliable Sources" newsletter, Stelter acknowledged this fact: "Paramount is complicated. Left-wing claims about CBS turning into right-wing state TV don't reflect the full reality of what's airing on CBS."
Then came the "balanced" CNN hilarity:
Stelter: David Ellison "has talked about his belief that, quote, 'the majority of the country longs for news that is balanced and is fact-based.' And, Wolf, that sure sounds a lot like CNN's mission, a lot of similarities here." LOL pic.twitter.com/KhAw00jR1y
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) February 27, 2026
But I can tell you, Ellison has talked in recent months about how he wants to sustain the news business in the United States. And he has talked about his belief that, quote, "the majority of the country longs for news that is balanced and is fact-based." And, Wolf, that sure sounds a lot like CNN's mission, a lot of similarities here. And the bottom line is CNN is a highly profitable business and it would seem foolish for anyone to put that at risk.
Wolf Blitzer noted to Stelter that California attorney general Rob Bonta is making noises about a "vigorous review" of this merger. Stelter found "it's notable to hear a Democrat like Bonta saying that, because Paramount's attempts to put on a Trump-friendly face in recent months have led to Democratic accusations of corruption and promises of future investigations."
"Trump-friendly" news is equated with corruption. In his newsletter, Stelter added another Democrat:
Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted just now, "Paramount should enjoy its growing news monopoly while they have it because when Democrats win back power we are going to break up these anti-democratic information conglomerates. All of them."
Can the left-wing media accept what clearly sounds like "bullying" noises about "anti-democratic information conglomerates"? Is that the sound of authoritarianism? Because that's what CNN says when Trump decries "fake news."
Then there's the hilarity of Paramount or any other media outlet having a "news monopoly" when there are still so many powerful and profitable liberal media outlets.
