Is CNN a reliable source for breaking news in the UK and beyond?
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When breaking news hits-whether it’s a political scandal, a natural disaster, or a global conflict-many people turn to CNN. But in 2025, asking CNN is a reliable source? isn’t just about checking a box. It’s about understanding how the network has changed, where it stumbles, and who still trusts it.
What CNN actually is today
CNN, launched in 1980, was the first 24-hour news channel. It built its name on speed and global reach. Today, it’s owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and runs CNN.com, cable TV, and social media channels. In March 2025, it had about 120 million unique monthly visitors to its website. That’s a lot of people. But traffic doesn’t equal trust.CNN’s strength is still its ability to report fast. When something big happens-like a terrorist attack in London or a sudden government resignation in the UK-it’s often one of the first outlets on the ground. Its international bureaus in London, Brussels, and Dubai give it an edge over purely U.S.-based outlets.
But speed comes at a cost. In high-pressure moments, CNN has repeatedly rushed stories before verifying them. A 2024 Reuters Institute study found CNN publishes unverified claims during breaking news 23% more often than the Associated Press and 18% more than PBS. That’s not a small gap. It’s a pattern.
Is CNN biased? The data says yes-but not in the way you think
Media Bias/Fact Check rates CNN as “Left-Center” with a bias score of -3.6 on a scale where -10 is extreme left. Ad Fontes Media gives it a -6.23, calling it “Skews Left.” AllSides confirms a “Left” bias with medium confidence. These aren’t opinions-they’re scores from panels that include left, right, and center analysts.
What does that mean in practice? CNN doesn’t usually lie. It omits. It chooses which stories to highlight and how to frame them. For example, a May 2024 Reddit thread documented 17 straight CNN segments on climate change over 24 hours-with zero on economic policy. That’s not a mistake. That’s selection bias.
Its coverage of Trump in 2017 was 93% negative, according to Harvard’s Shorenstein Center. That’s higher than ABC, CBS, or NBC. It’s not that CNN invented false claims-it just spent more time on negative angles. That shapes perception. And when you’re already skeptical of the media, that’s enough to make you distrust everything.
The January 2025 defamation case that changed everything
In January 2025, CNN lost a major defamation lawsuit. A U.S. Navy veteran named Zachary Young sued after CNN reported his business profited from Afghan refugee aid during the U.S. withdrawal. The report was false. Court documents showed CNN reporter Alex Marquardt’s internal messages admitted the story lacked context. CNN didn’t just make a mistake-it published a damaging falsehood without proper verification.
The court found CNN liable. That’s rare. News organizations rarely lose defamation cases. This wasn’t a technicality. It was a failure of basic journalism. The verdict triggered a flood of reactions. On Reddit, 89% of Republican commenters called it “proof CNN is dishonest.” Democrats mostly dismissed it as politically motivated. The divide wasn’t just political-it was personal.
Even CNN’s own expert witness, Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, said while the error was serious, “the network’s overall journalistic standards remain within industry norms.” That’s damning. It means CNN isn’t uniquely bad-it’s just average at avoiding big mistakes.
Who still trusts CNN? The numbers don’t lie
A May 2025 YouGov survey found CNN has an 80-point trust gap between Democrats and Republicans. That’s the second-largest partisan divide in U.S. media, behind MSNBC. Only 12% of Americans say CNN is “very trustworthy.” Another 29% say “somewhat trustworthy.” That’s a total of 41%. But 54% say it’s “not very” or “not at all” trustworthy.
Compare that to the BBC, which has a +26 net trust score, or The Weather Channel, at +49. CNN’s net trust score? -14. That’s worse than Fox News (-15) in overall popularity, but far more polarized. CNN’s audience is shrinking, too. Since 2020, its U.S. audience has dropped 32%. Advertising revenue fell 18% in Q1 2025. It’s losing viewers and credibility at the same time.
On Trustpilot, CNN has a 2.1 out of 5 stars. Democratic users rate it 3.8. Republican users rate it 1.2. The gap isn’t just opinion-it’s emotional. People feel betrayed.
What CNN is doing to fix it-and why it might not be enough
After the defamation loss, CNN introduced a new “Verification Protocol” in February 2025. Now, any story about a private individual needs three independent sources. That’s a step forward. CEO Mark Thompson also pledged $50 million to “fact-based journalism” and promised to cut negative coverage from 58% to 45% by 2026.
But here’s the problem: corrections are often buried behind CNN’s paywall. Since January 2023, basic access costs $5.99/month. Premium is $9.99. A June 2024 study by the Tow Center found corrections and retractions are rarely visible to free users. That means the people who most need to see the truth-those who read the original false story-often never see the fix.
And CNN’s staffing has shrunk. Investigative journalism roles dropped 22% since 2022. That’s not a sign of confidence. It’s a sign of financial stress. When you cut reporters, you cut depth. And when you cut depth, you rely more on speed-and speed kills accuracy.
How to use CNN responsibly in 2025
You don’t have to quit CNN. But you need to treat it like a tool, not a truth machine.
- For breaking news: Don’t believe the first report. Wait 30 minutes. Check Reuters, AP, or BBC. If CNN’s story matches them, it’s more likely accurate.
- For analysis: Read CNN’s long-form pieces. They’re often well-researched. But always check their sources. Look for links to official documents or court records.
- For political stories: Cross-reference with non-partisan outlets. If CNN says “X is a crisis,” check if the World Bank, IMF, or UN also say so.
- For corrections: Search CNN.com for “correction” + the topic. If you’re on mobile, use desktop mode. Corrections are easier to find there.
Also, remember: CNN is not the only source. It’s one of many. And in 2025, the smartest news consumers don’t rely on one outlet. They build a mosaic. One piece from CNN. One from BBC. One from Reuters. Then they fit them together.
Final verdict: Is CNN reliable?
CNN is not a liar. But it’s not a saint either. It’s a big, flawed, profitable news machine trying to survive in a world that no longer trusts institutions. It gets things right-often. But it also gets things dangerously wrong, and sometimes it doesn’t fix them well.
If you want accuracy, use CNN as a starting point-not an endpoint. If you want speed, it’s still among the best. But if you want truth, you need more than one source. And in 2025, that’s the only reliable way to stay informed.
Is CNN biased toward Democrats?
Yes, multiple independent analyses confirm CNN has a left-leaning bias. AllSides, Ad Fontes Media, and Media Bias/Fact Check all rate it as left or left-center. This shows up in story selection-like more coverage of climate change or social justice-and less on issues like tax policy or deregulation that appeal to conservatives. It’s not always false reporting-it’s often omission.
Can I trust CNN for UK news?
CNN’s UK coverage is generally solid because it has bureaus in London and works with local partners. But its framing often reflects U.S. political perspectives. For example, it may emphasize how a UK policy affects U.S. interests or portray UK politicians through an American lens. For accurate UK news, combine CNN with BBC, The Guardian, or Sky News.
Did CNN get sued for lying?
Yes. In January 2025, a U.S. court found CNN liable in a defamation case involving a navy veteran named Zachary Young. CNN falsely claimed his business profited from Afghan refugee aid. Internal messages showed the report lacked context and verification. The court awarded damages, and CNN was forced to issue a public correction.
Why do Republicans distrust CNN so much?
Republicans distrust CNN because of perceived anti-conservative bias, especially during the Trump era. CNN’s coverage was consistently more negative than other networks. The 2025 defamation case confirmed for many that CNN prioritizes sensationalism over accuracy. Trust surveys show 89% of Republican Reddit users cited the case as proof of systemic dishonesty.
Is CNN better than Fox News?
In terms of factual accuracy, CNN scores higher than Fox News according to Media Bias/Fact Check and Ad Fontes Media. Fox News has a Right bias and lower reliability scores. But CNN’s trust gap is wider-it’s deeply distrusted by half the population. Neither is fully reliable. Both need to be cross-checked with neutral sources like AP or Reuters.
Should I pay for CNN+?
Probably not. CNN’s paywall hides corrections and retractions behind premium access, making it harder to know when they fix mistakes. For $5.99/month, you’re paying for the same content that’s often inaccurate. Free alternatives like BBC, Reuters, and AP offer better reliability without a subscription.
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