Don't rely on us or anyone, says CBC ombudsman

Addressing the question of biased CBC coverage during the Covid pandemic, CBC ombudsman Jack Nagler has told Canadian viewers not to rely on its coverage: "Even if CBC were perfect, it is unwise to rely on any single news source if you want to be fully informed."

CBC ombudsman admits it’s ‘unwise’ to rely on network for the full story | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:

January 5. 2025 - "It is unwise for Canadians viewers to rely on the state broadcaster 'if you want to be fully informed,' CBC Ombudsman Jack Nagler said in his final report before retiring. Nagler, who served in his role for 34 years, in his final report as Ombudsman faulted the CBC as 'too timid' in failing to acknowledge differing points of view in its news coverage, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

"Nagler’s term as Ombudsman ended December 31. His comments were in response to viewer complaints of one-sided CBC News coverage of the pandemic including uncritical treatment of vaccine mandates.

"'Even if CBC were perfect it is unwise to rely on any single news source if you want to be fully informed,' wrote Nagler. 'This is part of the problem that has been created in recent years as many of us have slipped into "news silos" or "information bubbles" or whatever other jargon you want to use. We aren’t hearing enough information that conflicts with our pre-existing views, and when we do, too often we reject it out of hand.... Read widely. Watch widely. Listen widely. And don’t assume any source, even CBC News, is going to tell you everything you need to know'....

"The CBC from the onset of the pandemic had a duty to 'make sure the public got consistent information' in dealing with a crisis, wrote Nagler. 'As time went on it’s perfectly fair to argue the CBC and other media should also have been more willing to report on perspectives that fell outside the consensus view of public health officials, not because those officials were wrong, but because there was an erosion of consensus among the public.... Those developments were interesting stories and could have received more attention than they did.

"'If I were writing as a media critic rather than Ombudsman I might say that CBC was too timid about giving exposure to some of the sentiments in Canadian society during the height of the pandemic,' wrote Nagler. 'That does not mean it was wrong to give credence to experts.'

"The Ombudsman in his final report quoted Nancy Waugh, CBC manager of journalistic standards, as suggesting a requirement for balanced news coverage should not be taken literally in all cases. 'CBC policy acknowledges that how widely held a particular point of view is should also be taken into account,' wrote Waugh. 'In other words, fringe notions however fervently held by individuals are not afforded the same time and attention as mainstream views.'"

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/cbc-ombudsman-admits-its-unwise-to-rely-on-network-for-the-full-story/60863