CNN might be funnier than the late night comedy shows, albeit unintentionally. During CNN Newsroom’s Saturday pregame show ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, media analyst Sara Fischer claimed that freedom of the press has become increasingly politicized. Her first example was to claim that funding PBS and NPR is an “investment in the free press,” but that has now become “a political issue.”
Host Jessica Dean began the lamentations by declaring, “Everything is politicized these days. That's kind of the world we live in right now and it was no different. There was a comedian scheduled to perform tonight. Then they canceled that. Now it's the more, as you're noting, kind of somber tone.”
One could argue that the Correspondents’ Association originally inviting a comedian who called the administration a “bunch of murderers” politicized the event, but Dean continued,” They're going to be highlighting some of the recipients of the scholarships that the White House Correspondents' Association puts together. What do you think all of that means as well? Just kind of the politicization of it all and the back and forth that we saw just with the comedian.”
Fischer began, “For a long time, Jessica, investment in the free press was not a political issue. I mean, outlets like PBS and NPR, which are publicly funded, every year got their funds appropriated by Congress because Republicans and Democrats knew that it mattered to their constituents. Same thing with these government-funded broadcasters.”
Then they decided to defend eco-terrorism and roll out a “conservative” who thinks judges alleging helping illegal immigrant alleged domestic abusers escape ICE is “heroic.”
Fischer kept rolling, “What's changed in the past few years is that, you know, having a relationship with the media, investing in the First Amendment, press freedom, press rights, that has become a political issue in a way that it never has in the past.”
In addition to referencing the AP’s battle with the White House, Fischer also seemed to suggest that defunding NPR and PBS is an attack on their very existence, “And so, suddenly outlets that never thought that they'd have to fight for their right to exist or fight for access like the AP, you know, a decades old wire service that's long known for providing fair, accurate and nonpartisan news to, you know, millions around the world is now being cast as a political actor. This is a very, very different environment.”
The AP isn’t partisan because it refused to play along with President Trump’s Gulf of America move; it is partisan because its idea of truth is to plant itself firmly on the left side of the culture wars on everything from gender ideology to abortion.
Fischer, however, added that the dinner showed the industry’s resilience in the face of such pressure, “I do think, though, the fact that there's so many parties, Jessica, like I count every year how many events there are, there are so many more this year than last. Part of it is because you have this new era of independent journalists. But part of it is because people want to celebrate journalism at a time when journalism has never been more threatened. And that is what I think most people in the room tonight are most excited about.”
Sure, NPR and PBS would need new names if they were to see their funding revoked, but being forced to run commercials would not be the end of journalism. CNN, of all places, should know that.
Sign the petition to help us defund another CNN in PBS and NPR at defundpbsnpr.org.
Here is a transcript for the April 26 show:
CNN Newsroom
4/26/2025
6:50 PM ET
JESSICA DEAN: And look, there was also, like, everything is politicized these days. That's kind of the world we live in right now and it was no different. There was a comedian scheduled to perform tonight. Then they canceled that. Now it's the more, as you're noting, kind of somber tone.
They're going to be highlighting some of the recipients of the scholarships that the White House Correspondents' Association puts together. What do you think all of that means as well? Just kind of the politicization of it all and the back and forth that we saw just with the comedian.
SARA FISCHER: For a long time, Jessica, investment in the free press was not a political issue. I mean, outlets like PBS and NPR, which are publicly funded, every year got their funds appropriated by Congress because Republicans and Democrats knew that it mattered to their constituents. Same thing with these government-funded broadcasters.
What's changed in the past few years is that, you know, having a relationship with the media, investing in the First Amendment, press freedom, press rights, that has become a political issue in a way that it never has in the past.
And so, suddenly outlets that never thought that they'd have to fight for their right to exist or fight for access like the AP, you know, a decades old wire service that's long known for providing fair, accurate and nonpartisan news to, you know, millions around the world is now being cast as a political actor. This is a very, very different environment.
I do think, though, the fact that there's so many parties, Jessica, like I count every year how many events there are, there are so many more this year than last. Part of it is because you have this new era of independent journalists. But part of it is because people want to celebrate journalism at a time when journalism has never been more threatened. And that is what I think most people in the room tonight are most excited about.
