The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is facing criticism after a reported leaked memo indicated that journalists should avoid labeling the September 11 attacks as 'terrorist attacks.' The directive, attributed to Basem Boshra, senior director of journalistic standards and public trust at CBC News, advised staff to describe the events as 'hijackings led to passenger jet crashes in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and Manhattan,' and that 'The World Trade Center (WTC in second reference) was destroyed.'
The memo allegedly circulated as the broadcaster prepared to cover the 25th anniversary of the attacks, which were carried out by al-Qaeda and resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. Critics argue that this language change dishonors the victims and first responders.
Rachael Thomas, a Conservative Member of Parliament for Lethbridge, Alberta, denounced the reported directive on social media, calling it 'absolutely shameful' and an attempt to 'redefine terrorism in a way that downplays the atrocity of 9/11.' She stated that refusing to call the events an act of terrorism disrespects those affected by the attacks.
Mike Fegelman, director of Honest Reporting Canada, a non-profit organization, called for accountability, suggesting that repeated instances of such reporting indicate failures higher up within the CBC's management structure. He asserted that a public broadcaster should clarify reality rather than alter language to the point where 'terrorism becomes something too delicate to name.'
In response to inquiries, Kerry Kelly, CBC's director of public affairs, stated that it is 'wholly inaccurate to state our journalists have been urged to declare that this was not a terrorist act.' Kelly explained that the CBC 'regularly send[s] reminders about adherence to CBC's longstanding language guidance regarding the terms "terrorist" and "terrorism."' She added that the broadcaster prefers to use these terms with attribution to credible sources, a practice she noted is shared by many major journalistic organizations.
Kelly further elaborated that the memo was a 'reminder' of the CBC's established practice of exercising 'extreme caution' before employing the words 'terrorist' and 'terrorism,' and that their use should be attributed. She referenced a blog post from October 2023 by Brodie Fenlon, CBC's general manager and editor-in-chief, in which he outlined the broadcaster's policy.
In his blog, Fenlon wrote that CBC News does not designate specific groups as terrorists or specific acts as terrorism. He reasoned that these terms are 'so loaded with meaning, politics and emotion that they can end up being impediments to our journalism.' Fenlon suggested that journalists should 'generally avoid' labeling acts as terrorist unless it is directly attributed in a quote, as such designations can lead to questions about consistency and impartiality. He specifically mentioned that the broadcaster prefers to refer to the events of September 11, 2001, as 'the September 11 attacks.'
Fenlon's blog post also explained that the term 'terrorism' often implies attacks against unarmed civilians for ideological reasons, but that it is a 'highly controversial term' that can cause journalists to appear to take sides in a conflict. He argued that by using neutral language, the CBC avoids the problem of labeling one incident as a 'terrorist act' while classifying another as merely a 'bombing.'
The CBC, a taxpayer-funded entity, receives a significant portion of its budget from federal funds, with approximately 70 percent of its total budget coming from public funding. The remaining 30 percent is generated through advertising, subscriptions, and content licensing.