CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism
Canadian broadcaster reportedly advises journalists to avoid the term without attribution, sparking debate.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Canadian Broadcaster Tells Staff Not to Call 9/11 Terror Attacks
Photograph: Internewscast (embedded from source)
What this story says
- CBC reportedly issued internal guidance advising journalists not to use the term 'terrorist attacks' for 9/11 without attribution.
- The guidance suggests alternative phrasing such as 'the hijackings led to passenger jet crashes'.
- CBC's director of public affairs stated the broadcaster prefers attribution for the terms 'terrorist' and 'terrorism'.
- Canadian politicians and media watchdogs have criticised the alleged guidance as disrespectful and an attempt to rewrite history.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 31 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 8 of the 39 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
51/100
Hype
65/100
39 sources · methodology
Thin on the left so far
Only 2 of the 31 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC, has reportedly issued internal guidance advising journalists not to refer to the September 11 attacks as 'terrorist attacks' unless attributed to a source. The guidance, allegedly from Basem Boshra, senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, suggests alternative phrasing such as 'the hijackings led to passenger jet crashes in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and Manhattan'.
The reported instruction comes as the CBC prepares coverage for the 25th anniversary of the attacks. According to reports, the guidance also noted that 'The World Trade Center was destroyed,' directing staff to CBC's internal language standards. The broadcaster's general manager and editor-in-chief, Brodie Fenlon, previously stated in a blog that CBC does not designate groups or acts as terrorist because the terms are 'loaded with meaning, politics and emotion' and can impede journalism. Fenlon advised journalists to generally avoid referring to specific assaults as terrorist acts unless attributed.
Disagreement on guidance
CBC's director of public affairs, Kerry Kelly, stated that it is 'wholly inaccurate to state our journalists have been urged to declare that this was not a terrorist act.' She said the broadcaster 'regularly send reminders about adherence to CBC’s longstanding language guidance regarding the terms ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism’,' and that CBC prefers to use these words with attribution to credible sources. She further alleged the memo served as a 'reminder' of the broadcaster’s 'longstanding practice' to use these terms with attribution.
What the coverage left out
None of the reports below mention the specific figure of 3,000 people killed in the September 11 attacks, which was stated in the full report from Internewscast.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 3 times, most recently on 28 Aug 2026, 10:30, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
2 rated outlets
- The left-rated reports led on the core instruction from CBC. One report stated that CBC News had 'instructed journalists not to call the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks without citing sources.' Another report stated that the 'Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Says 9/11 Is not Terrorism'.
Centre
2 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports focused on the leaked memo and the resulting criticism. One report stated that 'Ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, CBC journalists were reportedly told to avoid describing the attacks as “terrorist attacks,” drawing criticism in Canada.' Another report highlighted that the 'Canadian broadcaster tells staff not to call 9/11 terror attacks'.
Right
27 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports frequently highlighted the source of the alleged guidance and the criticism it generated. Many reports used phrases such as 'Canada Broadcasting Corporation Orders Staff NOT to Refer to 9/11 as a “Terrorist Attack”' or 'Canadian State Media Tells Journalists: "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks"'. Several reports quoted Conservative MP Rachael Thomas, who stated that refusing to call it an act of terrorism 'dishonors' victims and first responders and that trying to 'sanitize or rewrite that history is deeply offensive'.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism?
- Of the 31 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 7% are rated left, 6% are rated centre, 87% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 39. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism left or right?
- The story itself is neither. What can be counted is who has covered it, and 87% of the 31 rated outlets on it are rated right — so far this is a story carried mostly by the right. Coverage is still arriving and that can change, which is why the figure is dated rather than fixed.
- Is the coverage of CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism biased?
- CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism is one event reported by 39 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated left had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered CBC guidance on calling 9/11 'terrorist attacks' draws criticism?
- 39 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the CBC reportedly advising its journalists about referring to 9/11?
- CBC has reportedly issued internal guidance advising journalists not to refer to the September 11 attacks as 'terrorist attacks' without attribution. The guidance suggests alternative phrasing such as 'the hijackings led to passenger jet crashes'.
- How has the CBC responded to the reports about the guidance?
- CBC's director of public affairs stated it is inaccurate to say journalists have been urged not to declare 9/11 a terrorist act. She said the broadcaster exercises caution and prefers attribution for the terms 'terrorist' and 'terrorism'.
- Who has criticised the alleged guidance?
- Canadian politicians, including Conservative MP Rachael Thomas, and media watchdogs have criticised the alleged guidance. They argue it is disrespectful to victims and an attempt to rewrite history.
Read it at the source
39 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
2Centre
2- Canadian Broadcaster Tells Staff Not to Call 9/11 Terror Attacks (opens Internewscast in a new tab)
Internewscast — is Internewscast biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Do not refer to 9/11 as 'terror attacks,' leaked Canadian broadcaster memo instructs reporters (opens Jerusalem Post in a new tab)
Jerusalem Post — is Jerusalem Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
27- The CBC won’t call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’—and your tax dollars are paying for it (opens The Hub in a new tab)
The Hub — is The Hub biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reportedly advises reporters to avoid calling 9/11 'terrorism' (opens i24NEWS in a new tab)
- CBC Tells Staff Not To Refer To 9/11 As ‘Terrorist Attack’ (opens VINnews in a new tab)
- Canadian broadcaster orders staff not to refer to 9/11 as 'terrorist attack' in coverage (opens GB News in a new tab)
- Canada Broadcasting Corporation Orders Staff NOT to Refer to 9/11 as a “Terrorist Attack” (opens WLTReport in a new tab)
- Canadian State Media Tells Journalists: "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks" (opens The Last Refuge in a new tab)
The Last Refuge — is The Last Refuge biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian Public Broadcaster Tells Journalists Not to Call 9/11 a ‘Terrorist Attack.’ (opens The National Pulse in a new tab)
The National Pulse — is The National Pulse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian Broadcasting Corp Tells Staff Not to Refer to 9/11 as ‘Terrorist Attack’ (opens Breitbart in a new tab)
Show 19 more
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation tells staff not to refer to 9/11 as terror attacks in coverage (opens Just the News in a new tab)
Just the News — is Just the News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- CBC tells Canadian journalists not to call 9/11 a terrorist attack (opens WIN in a new tab)
- CBC tells journalists not to call 9/11 ‘terrorist attacks’ in internal guidance (opens Fox News in a new tab)
- Journalists at Canada’s taxpayer-funded state broadcaster (CBC) have been ordered NOT to refer to 9/11 as a “terrorist attack” (opens BARE NAKED ISLAM in a new tab)
BARE NAKED ISLAM — is BARE NAKED ISLAM biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Terrorist’ Censored From 9/11 Stories by Canadian Public Broadcasting (opens NewsBusters in a new tab)
NewsBusters — is NewsBusters biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian journalists warned not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ (opens LifeSiteNews in a new tab)
LifeSiteNews — is LifeSiteNews biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Outrage After Alleged Leaked Memo from Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Instructs Reporters to Not Refer to 9/11 as ‘Terror Attacks’ * The Gateway Pundit * by Margaret Flavin (opens The Gateway Pundit in a new tab)
The Gateway Pundit — is The Gateway Pundit biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canada’s CBC instructs staff not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ in news coverage (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian Broadcaster: Do Not Refer to 9/11 As a Terrorist Attack (opens Hot Air in a new tab)
- Top Canadian News Outlet Tries to Rewrite History of 9/11 With Hyper-Woke Guidance (opens RedState in a new tab)
RedState — is RedState biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- CBC says 9/11 not a terror attack, Trade war escalation, Western provinces respond (opens Rebel News in a new tab)
Rebel News — is Rebel News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canada's Nat'l Broadcaster Bans Calling 9/11 'Terror Attacks': Instead, 'Hijackings Led to Passenger Air Crashes' (opens The Western Journal in a new tab)
The Western Journal — is The Western Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Tells Staff Not to Refer to 9/11 as a Terrorist Attack (opens National Review in a new tab)
National Review — is National Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- CBC tells reporters to call 9/11 terror attacks ‘hijackings led to passenger jet crashes’—not ‘terrorist attacks’ (opens The Post Millennial in a new tab)
The Post Millennial — is The Post Millennial biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadian Broadcasting Instructs Staff Not to Refer to the 9/11 Attacks As 'Terrorism' (opens PJ Media in a new tab)
- Shock over Voice Rule: Canada's Radio No Longer Calls September 11 "Terror" (opens Bild in a new tab)
- CBC tells staff not to call 9/11 a 'terrorist attack' (opens National Post in a new tab)
National Post — is National Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- News of the day: KINSELLA: 9/11 wasn't a 'terrorist attack,' according to the CBC (opens Toronto Sun in a new tab)
Toronto Sun — is Toronto Sun biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Toronto Sun Columnist: New Memo Tells CBC Journalists Not to Refer to 9/11 As a Terrorist Attack (opens Twitchy in a new tab)
Not rated
8- They Were Given Guidelines Before September 11th. "Let's Not Call It terrorism." (opens rmf24.pl in a new tab)
- Isn't the 11th of September a “Terrorist Attack” Now? Canadian Movnik Gave Journalists New Messages (opens Unknown in a new tab)
UnknownOpinion
- Canada’s state TV orders staff not to call 9/11 ‘terrorism’ – media - The Press United (opens ThePress United in a new tab)
ThePress United — is ThePress United biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Canadas state TV orders staff not to call 9/11 terrorism media (opens torontotelegraph.com in a new tab)
torontotelegraph.com — is torontotelegraph.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Outrage in Canada After CBC Tells Journalists Not to Call 9/11 Attacks ‘Terrorism’ (opens matzav.com in a new tab)
matzav.com — is matzav.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "Do Not Label September 11 as a Terrorist Attack," the Television Urged in a Memorandum (opens echo24.cz in a new tab)
- CBC tells staff not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ (opens GrowCola.com in a new tab)
GrowCola.com — is GrowCola.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- CBC tells staff not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’ (opens Loonie Politics in a new tab)
Loonie Politics — is Loonie Politics biased? Our profile of this outlet
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