Canada's public broadcaster changes policy that said not to label 9/11 attacks 'terrorism'

Key Points:

• CBC/Radio-Canada has made an exception to its policy of not labeling specific events as terrorism by explicitly calling the 9/11 attacks terrorist acts, following criticism over a memo reminding staff of the policy ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
• The policy typically requires journalists to attribute the term "terrorism" to officials or experts rather than using it independently, a practice shared by other major news organizations like the BBC and AP.
• The memo sparked backlash from U.S. officials including the FBI director, Republican lawmakers, and the U.S. ambassador to Canada, who condemned the perceived downplaying of the 9/11 attacks as terrorism.
• CBC’s senior director of journalistic standards clarified that the broadcaster has never denied the terrorist nature of 9/11 but will now explicitly use the term without attribution to improve clarity and public understanding.
• Canadian Culture Minister Marc Miller supported CBC’s decision, calling the previous guidance "pedantic and foolish," while Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree reaffirmed Canada’s condemnation of terrorism.