The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) expressly told reporters not to label Hamas as terrorists. Leaked emails from CBC’s director of journalistic standards, George Achi, wrote the following to employees on Saturday after the slaughter against Israelis began:
“Do not refer to militants, soldiers or anyone else as ‘terrorists.’ The notion of terrorism remains heavily politicized and is part of the story.” The executive also wanted reporters to emphasize “opinion” whenever using the word.
“Even when quoting/clipping a government or a source referring to fighters as ‘terrorists’, we should add context to ensure the audience understands this is opinion, not fact” he added. But sensitivity for terrorists was not Achi’s only concern.
CBC journalists were also told to there was no “end” of Israeli occupation. Specifically, “please do not describe 2005 as ‘the end of the occupation’ as Israel has maintained control over airspace, seafront, and virtually all movement into or out of the area. Our description should be fact-based, referring to the end of permanent Israeli military presence on the ground.”
One CBC spokesperson confirmed the legitimacy of the email to Fox News Digital, and claimed it was protocol similar to other media outlets. “CBC News attributes the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism’ to authorities, politicians and other officials who use these terms. There is no ban on these words. However, we ourselves avoid declaring specific groups terrorists, in line with the policies of many reputable news organizations and agencies around the world,” the spokesperson said.
“The focus of our news coverage is on describing exactly what happened in detail, as we have with all that has transpired this weekend. Our approach has been consistent and ensured CBC’s journalism over decades of conflict in the Middle East lives up to our commitment to accuracy, balance and fairness,” the statement concluded.
Some Jewish activists have criticized media outlets for calling Hamas “militants” or “soldiers” instead of terrorists since the surprise attack on Israel last Saturday.