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| John Malone |
John Malone, a billionaire media mogul and significant shareholder in Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, sharply criticized the cable news network for its political bias, asserting that its overly political stance has severely undermined its viewership and competitive standing.
The remarks came during a Thursday interview on the podcast hosted by Kara Swisher, a CNN contributor, where Malone elaborated on his long-standing concerns about the network’s direction.
The discussion revisited Malone’s earlier comments from 2021, made during the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, when he told The New York Times that CNN was failing to prioritize journalistic integrity. At the time, he argued that the network’s focus had shifted away from objective reporting, positioning it as a weak competitor to Fox News. In the recent podcast, Malone’s critique intensified, as he labeled CNN “too political” to effectively rival Fox News and MSNBC in the cable news landscape.
When Swisher challenged Malone by pointing out that Fox News is equally, if not more, politically driven, Malone acknowledged the point but drew a distinction. “Yeah, but they don’t hold themselves to be all journalism,” he responded. He noted that Fox News personalities, such as Sean Hannity, openly embrace their biases, with Hannity himself admitting to his conservative slant.
On Kara Swisher's podcast, major Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder John Malone says CNN's journalists have inherent left-leaning biases, just like many white people have inherent racial biases:
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) September 4, 2025
"These are good people. These are people who believe they're not biased, they really… pic.twitter.com/MrVjdfWB6I
Malone also highlighted other Fox figures, describing them as “quasi-celebrities” who occupy specific time slots and cater to partisan audiences. He specifically referenced Greg Gutfeld, a comedian and host whose overtly right-wing commentary has attracted a significant following, as an example of Fox’s ability to leverage polarizing personalities for ratings success.
Malone’s critique suggests a broader concern about CNN’s struggle to define its identity in a polarized media environment. While Fox News and MSNBC have leaned into their respective ideological niches, Malone appears to believe CNN’s attempt to maintain a veneer of impartial journalism while still engaging in political commentary creates a disconnect with viewers.
This, he argues, has contributed to CNN’s declining ratings, as it fails to capture the loyalty of audiences who gravitate toward the clearer ideological stances of its competitors.
The comments reflect Malone’s ongoing influence as a key stakeholder in Warner Bros. Discovery and his willingness to publicly challenge CNN’s editorial direction. His remarks also underscore the broader challenges facing traditional cable news networks as they navigate a fragmented media landscape, where audience loyalty is increasingly driven by ideological alignment and personality-driven content rather than traditional journalistic standards.