Is CNN Fake News? There are many people out their that do not watch CNN because they think they it is biased, and it lies.

With few exceptions, I do NOT watch CNN on television.

You have told me several times that you do not watch CNN because it is biased, and it lies.

With few exceptions, I do NOT watch CNN on television.   I READ THE CNN WEBSITE.

Like all major media organizations, their site contains both factual reporting from their journalism side, and opinions from their editorial side.  

When you read an article, CNN is very clear on whether you are reading an opinion or not.

THEIR FACTUAL REPORTING

Is CNN Fake News? As far as their factual reporting, it is pretty accurate.  They do get some details wrong from time to time, but those are exceptions.  The vast majority of their factual reporting is accurate.

THEY FOLLOW THE RULES of ethical journalism:

1. Facts are verified by at least two independent sources before being reported as facts.

2. When stories are NOT verified by at least two independent sources, CNN is VERY CLEAR that they have NOT verified the story.

3. When repeating a story from another news network, they are VERY CLEAR as to that source as well, and they state whether they have independently verified the story or not.

4. Any conflicts of interest are made clear.

5. Subjects of articles, or those in opposition, are given a chance to comment or respond.

6. When one of their journalists violate those rules, action is taken.   For example, when it was alleged that Chris Cuomo broke the rules when reporting about his brother, they IMMEDIATELY took him off the air while they investigated.  When the allegations proved true, They FIRED HIM, even though he was their biggest start at the time.

If you look back over the past few years, you will find VERY FEW stories that have been proven false, and when they were, retractions were printed.

THEIR OPINIONS

Is CNN Fake News? Yes, CNN does lean to the left, and that could be considered bias, but that does not make them Fake News.  Their opinions are based on facts, and their main goal is to hold officials accountable for their actions.  When Trump was President, their opinions were mostly negative since they were continually calling him out on his actions.

But under President Biden, they have also called him out and they criticize him almost as often.

Here are some examples.   YESTERDAY MORNING (10/17/2022) at 8:48am, I looked at the CNN website.   Below are a few of the headlines and links to the articles that were on the TOP SECTION (“above the fold”) on their home page. 

HEADLINE: Fact check: How Democratic ads mislead on four GOP candidates’ abortion stances

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/17/politics/fact-check-democratic-ads-abortion-esther-king-george-logan-april-becker-marc-molinaro/index.html

This article does exactly what the headline claims.

HEADLINE: Biden has spent more than a fourth of his presidency working from Delaware, outpacing Trump’s regular trips away

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/17/politics/joe-biden-presidency-delaware-work-from-home/index.html

This is NOT a favorable article for Biden.

HEADLINE: Herschel Walker defends use of ‘honorary’ sheriff’s badge in Georgia Senate debate

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/16/politics/herschel-walker-police-badge-georgia-senate-race/index.html

This article facts checks Walkers use of his badge, and gives him a chance to respond.

HEADLINE: Opinion: Trump’s all-caps rage is back. Has America changed?

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/16/politics/herschel-walker-police-badge-georgia-senate-race/index.html

This article is clearly marked as “opinion”, and the url shows it’s under “politics” as well.

Those who criticize CNN and other mainstream media often claim they have to watch FOX to see stories that CNN and others simply ignore.   THIS IS A LIE.   If you search the CNN website, or the New York Time Site, or ABC, CBS, NBC, or others for stories FOX claims are being ignored by the mainstream media, you will find that they HAVE REPORTED ON THE STORY, and in many times, were the ORIGINAL reporters of the story.

But, when these stories have been debunked, the mainstream media usually explains WHY the story is false, and that’s the end of it.   FOX, on the other hand, (especially Hannity and Carlson) will continue to report these stories over and over again without even mentioning that they have been proven false.  (They have even done this with stories that have been proven false by THEIR OWN NETWORK.)   Need an example of Fox News spreading lies? Look here;

MY OPINION

I AM NOT SAYING that CNN is the best source out there.  Personally, I give the New York Times and the Economist much more weight, mainly because their articles are much more in depth and explain the issues more fully than does CNN, since CNN’s reporting is mostly geared to stories that can be reported on television in a few minutes.

One of the major sources of divide in our country today is that Fox News and Trump have conditioned their follows to listen to them only, and to ignore news media that reports facts that are not favorable to them.   By labeling the mainstream media, especially CNN and the New York Times, as “fake news”, over and over and over again, millions of Americans actually believe it, and simply refuse to believe anything that comes from them.    This is sad, and is a danger to our democracy.