Open Letter to CBC Regarding Palestine Coverage

66 civil society organizations express concern over CBC’s coverage of Palestine 

(July 23, 2021) More than 66 civil society organizations have endorsed a letter addressed to Catherine Tait, President of the CBC and Michael Goldbloom, Chair expressing concern over CBC’s coverage of Palestine. 

This letter follows grassroots protests at CBC buildings in Toronto and Ottawa in June on the same issue, as well as an open letter signed by 500 journalists and members of the media industry to Canadian newsrooms, including the CBC, criticizing their biased coverage on Palestine-Israel. 

The letter by civil society organizations reads: “We are incensed with CBC’s policy of censoring the word ‘Palestine’.  While the CBC language style guide discourages the term “Palestine”, this position is not based in international law, and is contradicted by CBC’s policy regarding other conflicts including Taiwan and Somaliland.”

Signatories included Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), the Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations, CUPE Ontario, Independent Jewish Voices, the Canadian Council of Imams, and the grassroots organization CBC Palestine. 

They called on CBC to meet basic journalistic principles of fairness, balance, and impartiality. 

“Despite international media including in Canada, covering the recent Human Rights Watch report concluding Israel is committing crimes against humanity of persecution and apartheid, the CBC still refuses to do so.”

“It is also disturbing the many ways that CBC is exercising control over journalists’ ability to report and speak about these issues.”

“We ask that you stop ceding to pressure from lobby groups seeking to censor content sympathetic to Palestinians, and stand up for your own journalists and their expertise.”

“We believe that fair and balanced coverage will require the inclusion of Palestinian voices in editorial teams, and relying on reporters with knowledge of the region. Canadians need to hear this nuance and context.”

The open letter can be found here with the list of 66 signatories: www.cbcpalestine.ca/lettertocbc2021

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