The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation issued internal guidance to its journalists ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, instructing staff not to refer to the events as "terrorist attacks" in their coverage.
According to a statement provided by CBC to Fox News, the guidance was part of an organizational effort to limit language that could be construed as politically and emotionally loaded. The memo did not prohibit use of the word "terrorism" entirely but advised against framing that could be seen as judgmental without official determinations.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive commentators and media ethics scholars have argued that news organizations should exercise caution with loaded terminology, particularly when covering historical events where the full context is already well established. Some observers noted that CBC's guidance aligns with standard journalistic practice of attributing characterizations to official sources rather than making them independently.
Media critics on the left have pointed out that "terrorist attack" is a legal and political characterization as much as a factual description, and that journalists are not required to adopt any particular framing. Some progressive voices suggested that CBC's approach reflects a broader trend toward precision in language, separating verified facts from interpretive judgments.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative critics have pushed back forcefully against CBC's guidance. Several prominent conservative commentators argued that refusing to call the September 11 attacks "terrorist attacks" sanitizes the nature of those crimes and dishonors the nearly 3,000 people who died.
Republican lawmakers and media figures have characterized the guidance as an example of excessive political correctness reaching into newsrooms. Some critics noted that the perpetrators were convicted of terrorism-related charges in U.S. federal court, arguing that journalistic neutrality should not override established legal findings.
What the Numbers Show
The September 11, 2001 attacks killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The hijacked planes were operated by al-Qaeda operatives. Osama bin Laden was later killed by U.S. special forces in 2011.
A federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia convicted Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four co-conspirators in connection with the attacks in December 2008. The convictions included terrorism-related charges. According to the FBI, the attacks were officially classified as an act of terrorism within days of September 11, 2001.
The Bottom Line
CBC's guidance has reignited debates over journalistic language and neutrality standards in international media coverage. The organization maintains that its editorial guidelines aim to ensure fair and measured reporting while avoiding loaded terminology.
The controversy comes at a sensitive moment as the 25th anniversary approaches on September 11, 2026. Both critics and supporters have framed their responses in terms of respect for victims versus journalistic integrity, suggesting the debate will continue regardless of how CBC ultimately covers the commemorations.