In a surprising development, Elon Musk is reportedly considering an acquisition of CNN, stating that he believes “our country will be in a better place” if he takes the helm. This potential move has sparked widespread discussion about the future of news media and Musk’s vision for the network.

Musk’s interest in CNN could signal a desire to reshape how news is delivered and consumed, especially in a time of heightened polarization. His comments suggest he aims to foster a more balanced dialogue and combat misinformation, reflecting his ongoing commitment to influence public discourse.

However, this prospect raises questions about the implications of a high-profile figure like Musk owning a major news outlet. Critics may express concerns about editorial independence and the potential for bias, while supporters might see it as an opportunity for reform in media practices.

As this situation develops, it will be interesting to see how it impacts both CNN and the broader media landscape.

How the world’s richest man is helping Trump’s presidential bid

Musk has over 202 million followers on the X social media platform, which he bought for $44 billion in October 2022, when it was known as Twitter. Since endorsing Trump, he has used the platform to promote the Republican candidate. Some of his posts spread misinformation and sow doubt about the integrity of the upcoming election.

In July, for example, he commented on a post from Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, writing: “The goal all along has been to import as many illegal voters as possible,” repeating the false claim that Democrats are intentionally allowing non-citizens into the country so that they can vote in the election.

The same month, he shared a video, generated with artificial intelligence and manipulating Vice President Harris’ voice, in which Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother, described herself as the “ultimate diversity hire” and criticized President Joe Biden.

Musk has been critical of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs meant to boost racial and ethnic representation at workplaces, posting in January, for example, that “DEI is just another word for racism. Shame on anyone who uses it.”

X and other social media platforms have been under greater scrutiny since 2016, when Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election to try to boost Trump’s candidacy and harm his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Since Musk’s acquisition of then-Twitter in 2022, civil rights groups have raised concerns over a rise in hate speech and misinformation due to reduced content moderation.

Under X’s current policy, the platform may “label posts containing misleading media to help people understand their authenticity and to provide additional context” or remove misleading posts that have serious risk of harm.