The upcoming midterm convention of the Republican Party will not grant media accreditation to CBC/Radio-Canada journalists, as confirmed by Chuck Thompson, CBC’s head of public affairs on Monday. The convention, scheduled for September 9 and 10 in Dallas, Texas, will proceed without coverage from CBC/Radio-Canada journalists due to the decision made by the Republican National Committee (RNC).
CBC is currently reviewing the decision taken by the RNC, with Thompson expressing disappointment and hoping for a reconsideration of the move. Despite CBC News’ attempts to reach out to convention organizers for comment on Monday evening, there was no immediate response. The White House redirected CBC’s inquiries to the RNC, which could not be reached by phone the same evening.
This development comes amidst escalating tensions between Canada and the United States, marked by a series of retaliatory sanctions and heightened rhetoric from politicians on both sides. Recent criticisms of CBC by Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials stemmed from a leaked internal memo addressing the use of terms like “terrorism” in relation to the 9/11 attacks, which garnered international attention.
The memo outlined a longstanding policy for CBC journalists to refrain from labeling specific bombings as “terrorist acts” unless attributed as such, sparking widespread criticism ahead of the upcoming 25-year anniversary of 9/11. In response to the backlash, CBC’s senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, Basem Boshra, announced a revision of the language guidance to clarify that direct attribution is not necessary when describing the events of 9/11 as terrorism.
The adjustments aim to enhance clarity and public understanding, addressing unintended obstacles that arose from the previous language guidance.
