CBC Announces Policy Change Regarding Language on 9/11 Attacks

<p>The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) announced an internal policy change on August 28, 2026, regarding the terminology used by its reporters and editors when referring to the September 11, 2001, attacks. The change comes in response to controversy over a directive that advised staff to avoid describing the events as "terrorist attacks."</p><p>The memo was authored by Basem Boshra, CBC News' senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, and was released ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks. It was first reported by Toronto Sun columnist Warren Kinsella.</p><p>The memo stated, "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks." Instead, it described the events as hijackings that resulted in crashes in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Manhattan, and noted the destruction of the World Trade Center.</p><p>In the memo, CBC addressed the confusion surrounding its language guidance, stating, "CBC News finds itself once again in a swirl of confusion about how our journalists use the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism,’ this time about the al-Qaeda attacks on New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001."</p><p>Boshra acknowledged that the leak of an excerpt from the internal language guide had caused concern and anger among the public, who felt that CBC News was minimizing the events of that day. He emphasized that CBC's reporting over the past 25 years has provided an unflinching account of the attacks, the subsequent hunt for those responsible, and the significant loss of life.</p><p>The memo also stated that CBC intends to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with extensive coverage that reflects on the tragedy. Boshra explained that CBC's reporting on terrorism has always been guided by the principle of attribution, and the careful use of the terms 'terrorist' and 'terrorism' has been a long-standing practice.</p><p>He clarified, "CBC News has never said what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, was not terrorism, as some commentators have stated in recent days. We have reported fully and accurately on the reasons and motivations for those attacks as determined by police, governments, and an independent commission."</p><p>To improve clarity, CBC has decided to adjust its language guidance to indicate that direct attribution is not required when describing the events of 9/11 as terrorism. Boshra concluded that this adjustment aims to enhance public understanding while maintaining journalistic integrity in reporting on politically or ideologically motivated violence.</p><p>In a related legal development, Lt. Col. Michael Schrama, a military judge, recently dismissed a confession made by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, citing that the statements were not given voluntarily. A trial date for Mohammed and three co-defendants has been set for June 2028.</p>