Ottawa – The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announced Friday that it will break from its decades‑old practice of requiring attribution before using the word “terrorism” when describing the September 11, 2001 attacks. The change comes after a wave of criticism from the United States and Canada’s own Conservative Party, who argued the previous guidance “sanitized” a historic act of terror.
Why the policy mattered
For years CBC/Radio‑Canada’s standards have instructed reporters to avoid labeling events as terrorist attacks unless the term is quoted from a source. The policy mirrors guidelines used by other major news outlets such as the Associated Press, Reuters and the BBC. Critics said the rule created “pedantic and foolish guidance” that impeded clear reporting on the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history.
Government and partisan response
U.S. officials were quick to weigh in. FBI Director Kash Patel warned that any Canadian agency that fails to reject what he called a “bastardization of history” would lose a friend in the FBI. Republican members of Congress posted on social media asking why Canada would “sanitize the worst terrorist attack on American soil.” U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra echoed Patel’s concerns, noting that failure to confront radical ideologies endangers shared security efforts.
In Canada, Culture Minister Marc Miller praised the amendment on social media, calling the previous guidance “pedantic” and “foolish.” Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree released a statement reaffirming that Canada has always recognized 9/11 as the deadliest terrorist attack in history and condemns terrorism in all its forms.
CBC’s explanation
Basem Boshra, senior director of journalistic standards and public trust at CBC, said in a blog post that the organization is making an “exception” for the 9/11 attacks to remove an “impediment to clarity and public understanding.” He emphasized that the broadcaster will continue to attribute causes and motivations to officials and experts when reporting on new acts of politically or ideologically motivated violence.
Boshra clarified that CBC has never claimed the September 11 attacks were not terrorism; rather, it has reported on the motivations determined by police, governments and an independent commission, always with attribution. The memo that sparked the controversy was described as a reminder of the long‑standing practice of using “extreme caution” with the term “terrorist.”
Historical context
The policy dates back to at least 2023, when CBC editor‑in‑chief Brodie Fenlon wrote that the outlet often uses the word “terrorist” but with attribution, a practice shared by many leading news organizations. The recent memo, leaked to the Toronto Sun, reiterated that staff should “do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks” without a source, prompting the backlash.
What’s next?
With the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaching, CBC says the new guidance will be applied only to that specific event. The broadcaster indicated it will continue its attribution policy for all other incidents, aiming to balance journalistic rigor with clear communication.
Both Canadian and American observers will be watching how the change influences future reporting on violent extremism, especially as new incidents of politically motivated violence emerge worldwide.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
