The Media Accountability Project  

On May 8, 2025, CTV News published an Associated Press article titled “Leading aid group shuts down its soup kitchens across Gaza over Israel’s blockade.” While the piece highlighted Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war, it also relied on biased language and framing that violated journalistic standards.

CJPME volunteer Nikki Mutch submitted a detailed media accountability letter raising serious concerns about the use of the term “extremists” to describe Hamas, contrasted with euphemistic descriptions of Israeli military actions.

As a result of this letter, the AP/CTV team removed the word “extremist” from the article. This is a meaningful editorial correction that directly aligns with CJPME’s call for accurate, fair, and balanced reporting. It also signals that media outlets are paying attention to public pressure and ethical accountability.

CJPME commends this correction and will to challenge anti-Palestinian bias in Canadian media.

"The article cites Israel’s justification for the blockade without challenge. This framing is blatantly misleading. Hamas agreed to release all remaining hostages as part of a phased ceasefire deal—a deal Israel violated in order to continue its military assault on Gaza."

"While Netanyahu traveled freely to the United States, he remains the subject of an active ICC arrest warrant and is technically liable to be arrested in any country that is a party to the Rome Statute. His visit to Washington — with complete impunity despite credible accusations of the gravest international crimes — is critical context that should have been included in your reporting."

"The usage of “captured” vs occupied misleads readers into thinking that Israel has a strong claim to, or ownership of, Palestinian territories – which is blatantly not the case. Palestinians are the indigenous peoples of this land – and media outlets should not be complicit in enabling the kind of language that normalizes Israel’s illegal ongoing colonization process."

"Highlighting the ICJ’s ruling is crucial for readers to understand that Israel has not been waging a “counter-offensive” in Gaza after Hamas’ October 7^th attacks; it has been committing genocide for the past year. Gaza right now is on the brink of collapse, with Israel ordering evacuation orders, bombing hospitals, imposing a siege and blockade."

It is unusual to read such a thorough account of a Palestinian perspective in Canadian media. That said, this article helps balance a media environment that rarely platforms Palestinians, except when covering their suffering.

"I strongly urge you to use the term 'pro-Palestine' when referring to statements or actions that explicitly support the rights of the Palestinian people and their land. This is not merely a matter of semantics; it is about recognizing the existence and the humanity of an entire nation that continues to struggle under Israel’s brutal occupation. Your choice of language has a significant impact on public perception, and it is essential that it reflects fairness."

"While Ms. Perez effectively covered the conflict between the OCDSB school board and the Capital Pride committee, the article would have benefited from including perspectives from more members of the OCDSB board, rather than solely focusing on Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth. For future coverage of this story, I recommend that CTV Ottawa include a broader range of interviews with other board members to provide a more balanced view."

"While the credentials of the guest were supposed to suffice in presenting a balanced view of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the interview ended up being one-sided and inaccurate."

"It is very clear that CTV News has closed itself off from having meaningful dialogue with its readers. Considering this lack of responsiveness and accountability, I am curious whether there is a more useful contact at CTV News. If so, please pass it on. Otherwise, I would appreciate a direct confirmation that CTV News is not interested in engaging with constructive feedback or improving its reporting practices."