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This past Thursday night, amid swirling speculation concerning the Brown University gunman, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins posted on social media, noting the confusion and pointing viewers to her network’s 9pm newscast.

Although CNN is certainly not a flawless news source, her words seemed accurate for numerous observers. It remains one of the outlets where one can locate reality-based and generally dependable reporting – particularly during crises such as the one unfolding in the vicinity of a New Hampshire storage facility.

An Uncertain Situation During a Corporate Battle

Yet the news network, now 45 years old, finds itself in a uncertain position as two massive media corporations battle over ownership of its parent company, Warner Bros Discovery.

No matter the result, the fate of CNN has become part of a major game of corporate ownership, not as a question of what helps the information-seeking public.

“This is yet another example of the fundamental flaws with roots in many years of policy decisions,” said Victor Pickard, author of “Democracy Without Journalism?” and a professor of media policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

The conjecture about the future owner of Warner Bros Discovery – could it be Netflix or Paramount Skydance? – fails to grasp a larger point.

“It gets presented as a financial tale with key players as the main characters, but there is scant discussion of the common good,” Pickard added.

The Complicating Element: The Former President

This situation is further muddied by Donald Trump’s views about a network he has frequently denounced as perhaps his primary “fake news” adversary.

Recall the cries of “CNN sucks!” at the president’s rallies, his team's disciplinary withdrawal of reporter Jim Acosta’s press credentials, or his tense exchanges with Collins in official meetings.

Trump now says that the network requires new ownership. This can be interpreted as ownership that will shield him from criticism and scrutiny. That is a factor in why he seems to come down on the side of Paramount Skydance, which has made a unsolicited offer.

Trump has reason to favor that company more. For one thing, it is led by David Ellison, son of the Trump-friendly Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people.

The company, owner of CBS News, also recently installed the right-leaning Bari Weiss, noted for her “anti-woke” beliefs, as the editor-in-chief of that storied news network.

An Outcome of Further Instability

Notably, if Netflix wins, CNN and other cable outlets would first be separated into a standalone company. This might be a welcome development to many at the network, but it’s hardly a guarantee of stability. That structure could pave the way for CNN for yet another acquisition. It never ends.

In the view of Timothy Wu, a lot of this is a violation of antitrust statutes, anyway. The prominent critic of big tech’s dominance stated that anti-trust laws should prohibit both deals.

“Both acquisition attempts would be detrimental to the country, and both should be challenged by the government,” Wu stated.

The Bigger Issue and a Path Forward

Regardless of the resolution with this particular battle, the bigger problem remains.

“The present media landscape is a very system hostile to democracy, but we shouldn’t give in to learned helplessness,” Pickard noted. Government actions – originating in the 1930s and 1940s – helped to create this hyper-commercialized monster, and new policy decisions can address it.

Can reform occur in an era where the Federal Communications Commission chair will not confirm that the agency is independent? Change is very unlikely now, but that should not imply it will not happen in the future.

Policies that bolster independent news organizations, aid local journalism, finance public media, and outlaw the concentration of media power in very few hands are achievable – they are essential for a functioning democracy.

In the world of media ownership, larger is not superior. And news organizations such as CNN shouldn’t be tools in the latest acquisition battle.