I don't know how ideological Discovery is ... I like SOME of their documentary programming, it's sometimes the only place outside of PBS you can see good science, archaeology, nature programs (well, and NatGeo channel) .... then of course there's the shlock they do for ratings, eh Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, but whatever.
The big complaints seem to be the shakeup they are doing with the DCEU which they now effectively own ... we discussed them axing the Batgirl movie.
The specific problem at CNN appears to be execs John Malone and Chris Licht.
John Harwood abruptly exits CNN amid changes at news channel: "Proud of the work"
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertai ... 978125001/
[snip]
Last month, CNN canceled its weekly "Reliable Sources" media analysis show after three decades on the air, and host Brian Stelter left the network. The show appeared to be an early casualty in CNN's effort
to be less confrontational politically — a priority of Chris Licht, who became the network's chairman and CEO in the spring, and his boss, David Zaslav, head of the Warner Bros. Discovery parent company.
[snip]
"But that's not what we are talking about. These are not honest disagreements. The Republican party right now is led by a dishonest demagogue," Harwood said, in part.
[snip][end]
Look, I don't know if you have to be "confrontational" politically. That isn't what's necessary. Jon Stewart famously said of Crossfire back in the day, which was on CNN ... lots of heat (yelling, screaming, confronting), little light (i.e. actual useful information). There's nothing gained by watching people screaming at each other and talking over each other.
But, FAIR (an organization whose media critiques I really like) always say it's the job of journalists to be more than just stenographers to power. They need to be asking the hard questions of politicians. As the slogan goes, they need to afflict the comfortable. Otherwise, I think they're not doing their job. (And yes, it doesn't matter what letter comes after the politician's name.)
The execs at CNN don't seem to like that, which means I'm probably increasingly going to be watching it less than I already do, as they seem interested in cleaning house of much of what it does that's worthwhile.