CBC defends directive against calling 9/11 terrorist attacks

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is defending an internal directive that instructs its journalists not to independently describe the September 11, 2001, attacks as terrorist attacks, a policy that has drawn sharp criticism from politicians and public figures ahead of the 25th anniversary of the event. The memo, authored by Basem Boshra, CBC News' senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, was first reported by columnist Warren Kinsella in the Toronto Sun. It explicitly states, "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks," and instead directs staff to use language such as "hijackings that led to passenger jet crashes." CBC officials have characterized the guidance as a routine reminder of a longstanding editorial policy. "It is the practice of the CBC to exercise extreme caution before using the words terrorist and terrorism," said CBC Public Affairs Director Kerry Kelly in a statement. She explained that the network's practice favors using these terms only with attribution to credible sources, a method shared by many major news organizations.