Reporters told to avoid calling 9/11 'terrorism' at Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - report

Nearly three years after facing criticism over its terminology when covering the October 7 attacks, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is again under scrutiny, this time over internal guidance concerning the September 11, 2001, attacks.

According to a recently disclosed internal memo signed by Bassam Boushara, CBC’s senior manager of journalistic standards and public trust, reporters and editors were advised to avoid using the terms “terror” and “terrorist attack” in their coverage.

The guidance reportedly recommended describing the events factually, stating that the hijackings resulted in passenger planes crashing in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, rather than independently characterizing them as acts of terrorism.

The memo has prompted criticism two weeks before the 25th anniversary of the attacks, which were carried out by al-Qaeda and killed nearly 3,000 people.

Conservative Canadian lawmaker Rachel Thomas condemned the guidance, arguing that refusing to call the attacks terrorism disrespects the victims, their relatives, survivors and emergency personnel.

“The refusal to call it an act of terror dishonors the victims, their families, the survivors, and the emergency and rescue forces who were exposed to the horrors of that day,” Thomas wrote on X.

“The attempt to sanitize or rewrite this history is extremely offensive and does a great injustice to all those affected by the attacks.”

CBC has defended its editorial policy, maintaining that the word “terrorism” can be politically charged and that avoiding the label in the broadcaster’s own voice helps preserve journalistic neutrality. The policy does not prevent journalists from quoting officials or other sources who use the term.