CNN Claims It's Looking to Moderate After Ratings Plummet

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, announced that CNN will be focusing on ‘journalism’ by moderating its content for all viewers.

The news network will focus on straight news that will appeal to both liberals and conservatives, according to the New York Post.

“Journalism first. America needs a news network where everybody can come and be heard; Republicans, Democrats,” Zaslav said at Allen & Co.’s “summer camp for billionaires” in Sun Valley, Idaho. “I think you’re seeing more of that at CNN. We’re not going to look at the ratings and, in the long run, it’s going to be worth more.”

“Journalism first” should have been the network’s central focus from the beginning. CNN has been functioning as a leftist opinion operation while masquerading as a straight news network for years.

CNN’s ratings were actually very high during the Trump administration. Why? Very simple: CNN’s main focus was “orange man bad.” The network’s negative coverage of former President Donald Trump was so obvious that even the satirical news site The Babylon Bee poked fun at CNN and deemed “Orange Man Bad” the leftist network’s slogan.

CNN Unveils New Slogan: 'Orange Man Bad' https://t.co/bx0pFIEsCd

— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) November 12, 2019

CNN’s ratings have plummeted since Trump left the Oval Office. The network has suffered a 50% decrease in viewership since Biden became president, according to Fox News.

CNN attempted to follow the Walt Disney Company’s template by starting its own subscription service, CNN+ in March, which only lasted one month before the network scrapped the service.

Rest In Peace CNN Plus. CNN’s streaming service is shutting down after launching a month ago. They thought people would pay to watch Fake News & to see Chris Wallace.

The Best News of the Day!https://t.co/0ZwXDe5BBl

— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) April 21, 2022

The network’s low ratings have also led to downsizing. CNN announced its plans to sell its location in Knoxville, Tennesee: “Following a detailed evaluation, we have made the decision to sell our office building in Knoxville,” said Gunnar Wiedenfels, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Can CNN moderate? Will they be able to stick to “straight news”’? And will they be able to draw in conservative viewership? They better hope so if the network plans on surviving.