CBC Memo Restricts “Terrorist” Terminology for 9/11 Coverage

An internal memorandum circulated to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) journalists instructed staff not to label the September 11, 2001 attacks as “terrorist attacks.” The memo was leaked weeks before the September 11 anniversary, prompting immediate criticism in Canada and the United States.

The Jerusalem Post

CBC’s policy of avoiding the terms “terrorist” and “terrorism” in its own reporting dates back several years and was invoked during coverage of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. The policy applies to all regions and events, with the organization preferring to use the terms only when quoting external sources.

New York Post

CBC spokesperson Kerry Kelly said the memo was a reminder of a “longstanding practice” that emphasizes attribution when using charged language. The corporation also asserted that the guidance was unrelated to the current strain in U.S.–Canada relations and reflected an editorial stance rather than a new political position.

CBC Bans Journalists from Calling 9/11 a Terrorist Attack ahead of 25th Anniversary

Conservative MP Rachael Thomas described the memo as “absolutely shameful,” accusing CBC of downplaying the atrocity of 9/11. Liberal MP Anthony Housefather called on CBC leadership to ensure the attacks continue to be described as terrorist attacks. In the United States, Republican Senator Mike Lee suggested Canada might no longer be a “friendly country,” while Representative Lisa McClain urged CBC to “say the word terrorism.”

CBC Bans Journalists from Calling 9/11 a Terrorist Attack ahead of 25th Anniversary ? Juno Jump Start: CBC orders reporters not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ in leaked memo The Jerusalem PostNew York Post

• Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the September 11 attacks, including 24 Canadians.

LEAKED: CBC instructs reporters not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’

• Nineteen al-Qaeda hijackers commandeered four airliners, striking the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.

LEAKED: CBC instructs reporters not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’

The memo surfaced amid heightened U.S.–Canada tensions. In early September, Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs on more than 700 U.S. products, valued at roughly $20 billion, set to begin on September 8. Earlier, on August 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” further inflaming bilateral relations. Critics argue that CBC’s language restriction adds a cultural flashpoint to an already volatile diplomatic environment.

? Juno Jump Start: CBC orders reporters not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ in leaked memo

Sources agree on the memo’s wording and authorship, but CBC has not disclosed how the policy will be applied to future coverage of other historic attacks, nor has it provided a detailed rationale for deviating from the term “terrorist” when describing an event widely labeled as such by governments and scholars.

CBC Bans Journalists from Calling 9/11 a Terrorist Attack ahead of 25th Anniversary

• “CBC News does not itself designate specific groups as terrorists, or specific acts as terrorism, regardless of the region or the events, because these words are so loaded with meaning, politics and emotion that they can end up being impediments to our journalism.” — Brodie Fenlon, CBC news editor-in-chief and general manager, where he

The Jerusalem Post

• “Our focus is to report the facts of such atrocities with accuracy, clarity and detail; to convey the scale and scope of violent acts wherever they occur; to quote the people affected, and to convey the views of officials and experts on these events. We bear witness,” — Kerry Kelly, CBC spokeswoman

New York Post