"Simply put, repeating what “Israel says” misinforms and misleads listeners. CBC has a responsibility to distinguish fact from assertions, and provide adequate, balanced context to the listener."
August 21, 2025
Dear CBC World Report with Marcia Young team,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express concerns regarding a news segment aired this morning, on Thursday Aug 21, 2025 at 6 AM on CBC Saskatchewan (CBKT).
By focusing largely on the actions and plans of the Israeli military offensive without critical context, the segment whitewashes Israeli war crimes and ignores the Palestinian perspective.
“Israel says” are the first two words of the segment, and “Israel says” or equivalent is repeated three more times over the segment (at 6:00:44, 6:00:54, and 6:01:35), giving unbalanced prominence to Israel’s statements without qualifying them as claims or allegations. Simply put, repeating what “Israel says” misinforms and misleads listeners. CBC has a responsibility to distinguish fact from assertions, and provide adequate, balanced context to the listener.
Yet, the entire segment - even in the UN Secretary General’s statement - makes no mention of the context of genocide or famine caused by Israel. As we prepare our own children to go back to school in Canada, could we not inform listeners that Israel has killed the equivalent of a classroom full of Palestinian children -- 27 children per day -- since October 7, 2023? And that in July, partners in Gaza reported more than 13,000 admissions of acutely malnourished children, more than a six-fold increase compared to February? Of 62,122 reported fatalities in Gaza since October 7, 2023, fully 30% (18,430) have been children1. Instead, CBC gives much of the airtime in this segment to Israel’s military statements and plans, without journalistic skepticism.
Lastly, the segment lacks Palestinian voices and perspectives, except through Hamas, at 6:00:47, as follows: “Hamas said it would accept the agreement”.
In future, I kindly urge your newsroom to provide more informative, fact-based and balanced coverage, in accordance with CBC’s journalistic standards and practices.
Sincerely,
Alison Jenkins
1- 18,430 Palestinian children killed as of August 20, 2025 / 683 days since October 7, 2023 = 27 children killed per day (See: https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-20-august-2025)
2- https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-315-gaza-strip