Muted: The Collapse of Independence on Cable News
From watchdog to lapdog: How CNN, MSNBC, and Fox surrendered their independence
In the first parts of this series, we traced how network television, public broadcasting, and print media—once free and accessible—have been dismantled. Cable news, by contrast, has always been behind a paywall, positioned as a more robust arena for journalism. For decades, it claimed to offer sharper interviews, deeper reporting, and less vulnerability to political influence.
But that independence was always fragile. Today, cable is caving to the same pressures: corporate ownership, advertiser demands, and political intimidation. Once an adversarial space, it is fast becoming another stage for managed narratives.
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CNN Under Pressure
No network better illustrates this transformation than CNN.
At the start of 2025, CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, circulated internal memos discouraging terms like “election lies,” “authoritarian,” or “insurrection” in political coverage. Executives warned staff against “alienating viewers” and called for “balanced” framing, even when facts suggested otherwise.
This shift became visible on air. Jim Acosta, known for his sharp questioning of Trump officials, was offered a dead-end overnight slot and quietly resigned in February 2025. Kaitlan Collins, once a rising star, was moved out of prime time to make room for “more diverse perspectives,” often meaning panels that featured election deniers alongside mainstream guests.
Don Lemon, one of CNN’s most recognizable anchors, was abruptly fired in April 2023 after a series of controversial remarks and internal clashes. Although the network settled with him nearly a year later, his exit signaled CNN’s willingness to sacrifice high‑profile personalities to rebrand itself as more “neutral.”
By mid‑2025, CNN’s programming leaned heavily on both‑sides panels and euphemistic language, blurring the line between scrutiny and appeasement. Ratings and trust levels sank to historic lows.
We covered some of these resignations from cable networks in our previous reporting. Read that here:
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MSNBC Softens the Edges
MSNBC, long seen as the liberal counterweight to Fox, has also retreated.
In January 2025, Rachel Maddow returned to hosting five nights a week to cover the first 100 days of Trump’s second term. But in May, she scaled back to her contracted Monday‑only schedule, leaving the rest of the week to Jen Psaki. While Maddow’s return briefly buoyed ratings, her absence was felt. Her replacements delivered far more cautious commentary.
Joy Reid’s The ReidOut was canceled in February 2025, with her final episode airing on February 24. Officially, the network cited “programming changes,” but insiders described her removal as part of a deliberate strategy to court moderates and conservatives. Katie Phang, another progressive voice, was quietly moved out of her weekend slot in the spring.
With its most outspoken hosts sidelined, MSNBC’s prime time began echoing the same cautious tone as CNN, abandoning much of its former bite.
Fox, OAN, and Newsmax: Hired for Loyalty
While CNN and MSNBC fired or sidelined dissenting voices to appease power, Fox’s changes reflect something else entirely: the seamless integration of its talent into the administration itself.
Over the past year, a steady stream of Fox personalities has moved directly into senior government roles. Jeanine Pirro left the network in May 2025 to become interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Earlier, other Fox alumni, including Pete Hegseth, Larry Kudlow, and Kayleigh McEnany, had taken positions in Trump’s first and second administrations.
See our article here about the Foxification of the administration here:
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Fox also removed troublesome figures, not for dissent, but for becoming a liability. Tucker Carlson, once its highest‑rated host, was abruptly fired in April 2023 after leaked internal communications and mounting controversies. Neil Cavuto, a business anchor, left in January 2025 amid budget cuts.
At Fox, departures happen when loyalty is rewarded with power, or when a host threatens the brand by stepping outside the party line.
Meanwhile, OAN and Newsmax have doubled down on their alignment with Trump. Both networks benefited from Trump‑aligned FCC decisions in early 2025, which pushed them into better cable slots and loosened oversight. OAN has even begun syndicating its content to Voice of America and Sinclair stations, effectively blending partisan cable with state‑funded media.
Who Owns the Message?
The story of cable news is also a story of its owners and the agendas they bring with them.
CNN is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a media giant shaped by Wall Street investors and led by David Zaslav, who has emphasized cost‑cutting and “neutrality” in order to court advertisers and avoid political backlash. At MSNBC, Comcast controls the narrative, a sprawling telecom and entertainment conglomerate more interested in protecting its market position than challenging power.
Fox News, meanwhile, is the crown jewel of the Murdoch family’s empire, wielded as both a business and a political weapon. The Murdochs have built Fox into the most powerful voice in conservative media, but they act decisively when a host jeopardizes the brand’s influence or profitability.
On the fringes, OAN and Newsmax are owned outright by their founders — Robert Herring and Christopher Ruddy, respectively — who use their networks to compete for Trump’s favor and audience share, unconstrained by shareholders but at the mercy of cable carriers.
Corporate ownership influences what these networks cover, how they frame stories, and which voices they amplify or suppress. Behind every anchor and segment lies a boardroom calculation, and it is the public who pays the price.
Why It Matters
Cable news continues to command millions of nightly viewers and influences the broader news cycle. Its audience skews older and more politically active, viewers who vote, donate, and set grassroots agendas. They often create echo chambers of information and commentary.
As cable homogenizes, the illusion of choice obscures a stark reality: a narrow range of narratives, all constrained by corporate and political forces. What was once a forum for accountability is now another managed stage.
The Aftermath & What Comes Next
As trust and ratings decline, viewers migrate elsewhere. Younger audiences are turning to independent journalists, podcasts, and social media, although these platforms also face their own vulnerabilities.
For those who remain, the choice is increasingly between a cautious, euphemistic center and outright propaganda. The investigative reporting and adversarial questioning that once defined cable have moved to less stable platforms, subject to deplatforming, demonetization, and algorithmic suppression.
Call to Action
Be conscious of the limitations and biases in cable news.
Support independent journalists and fact‑checking nonprofits.
Pressure advertisers and providers to prioritize integrity over appeasement.
Redirect support toward platforms that prioritize truth over access.
If cable news has collapsed into partisanship and appeasement, what of streaming and entertainment? In the next installment, we examine how Hollywood and streaming platforms—once cultural bastions—are now censoring, self-policing, and succumbing to political and corporate pressure.
Stay Informed. Stay Loud.
Subscribe to The Coffman Chronicle for no-BS political analysis, action guides, and weekly truth bombs you won’t get from corporate media.
Bibliography:
“Jim Acosta Exits CNN after 18 Years.” Media Moves, February 1, 2025.
“Rachel Maddow Returning to MSNBC Five Nights a Week.” AP News, January 13, 2025.
“Rachel Maddow Returns to Five Nights a Week on MSNBC.” Los Angeles Times, January 13, 2025.
“MSNBC reportedly cancels Joy Reid show in reshuffle at liberal network.” The Guardian, February 23, 2025.
“How Joy Reid Signed Off During Final MSNBC Episode.” E! News, February 25, 2025.
“CNN Host Don Lemon Says TV Network Fired Him.” Reuters, April 24, 2023.
“Don Lemon Paid $24.5 Million in Separation from CNN: Report.” People, February 27, 2024.
“Tucker Carlson Departs Fox News, Pushed out by Rupert Murdoch.” Reuters, April 24, 2023.
“Tucker Carlson’s Ouster from Fox News and Pivot to Twitter, Explained.” Vox, April 25, 2023.
“Trump’s U.S. Attorney Appointee Jeanine Pirro Will Leave Fox News.” Los Angeles Times, May 8, 2025.
“Judge Jeanine Finds Herself in the Spotlight — Again.” Politico, May 28, 2025.
“Fox News Anchor Neil Cavuto Departs in Cost‑Cutting Move.” Los Angeles Times, December 19, 2024.
While I like to support independent journalists, it seems we need a more affordable platform to allow readers to reach more authors. There are likely hundreds of good journalists on Substack, but who could afford even 10 of them at 5 to 10 bucks a month, each? Limiting yourself to a few will rarely give you a decent perspective on the many serious issues we are facing today. I’m hoping that at some point, Substack would offer a “bundle” of authors, where per author it would be much less current charges, but authors could obtain far more subscribers. I’m no expert and I’m sure thee would be challenges to work out such a system, but it seems it would be better than what we have now.
good coverage and noting examples that highlights the concerns for the future of media. Will it be too late as trump continues use the power of the state to crush any questions to his authority. No more, stop the spread and support independent media!