CBC Admits Mistake After Anchor Tells Palestinian Canadian Mourning Her Brother's Death om Gaza On Air That She Cannot Say Genocide

This response exemplified CBC’s editorial choices that actively dehumanize and marginalize Palestinian perspectives. When Ms. Alsaafin shared how her brother was killed in what she described as a genocide, the anchor responded by stating that “‘war’ is more appropriate” and asserting that “we [CBC reporters] cannot use that word [genocide] to describe what is happening.”

Following this shameful segment, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)’s Media Accountability Project (MAP) team issued a media alert on the broadcast calling out the CBC for reprimanding a Palestinian on air for the words she used reflecting her lived experience.

The broad grassroots pushback against this broadcast pressured the CBC to issue a formal correction: “On Jan. 20, during an interview on CBC News Network, a guest used the word genocide to describe the actions of Israel in Gaza. As part of her response, our host stated, "we cannot use that word to describe what is happening…" In fact, CBC News does not prohibit specific words in our reporting, but instead requires precise attribution and reporting on the debates that shape public policy, including debates about language. This was not made clear in this instance and the host's comment left an inaccurate representation of CBC standards.”

This statement represents a significant step forward in holding media organizations accountable for their coverage of Palestinian narratives. Such an admission by our public broadcaster is rare. By raising concerns about the dismissal of the term genocide and the lack of empathy during a critical interview, CJPME and its allies successfully compelled CBC to publicly address the issue. While the CBC's response falls short in many ways, it is a win in the battle for better media coverage nonetheless.

Such corrections must be accompanied by proactive steps to include diverse voices and uphold ethical journalism standards, ensuring that Palestinian suffering and narratives are fairly represented by the CBC.