Complaint Process
The CBC's Office of the Ombudsman deals with complaints about information programming.
We handle complaints by email, fax and regular mail, and because the process requires formal correspondence, we don’t launch complaint reviews via telephone.
The process itself involves first referring a complaint to programmers responsible for the relevant television, radio or online content. They are expected to answer you within 20 business days, and we pursue the matter and can launch a review if programmers have not responded within a reasonable time.
If you are dissatisfied with their response, you can then ask for a formal review. That review can involve research and interviews with the accountable programmers, journalists, experts and complainants. In some cases the reviews are routine and can take days; in some cases they require detailed research and can take weeks.
The reviews are first sent to complainants and programmers, then posted a day or so later online at www.cbc.ca/ombudsman. Social media are used to note the review’s release.
The identities of complainants are made public, unless there are strong arguments made to shield their names.
Generally speaking, the CBC Ombudsman reviews news and information programming. If your complaint involves Sports, Arts, Entertainment or Children's programming, please visit the CBC Contact page to determine who should receive your correspondence.
For news or information items, contact the Ombudsman.
Complaints about Radio-Canada programs are addressed by www.radio-canada.ca/ombudsman.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The complaint involves a statement on a CBC journalist's Twitter account about gun ownership by Israelis. There was an inaccuracy in the statement, meaning a violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...
Friday, May 11, 2012
The complaint cited reports on proposed legislation, on allegations of voting irregularities, and coverage of an MP as indications of bias against the Conservative government. I did not find violations of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The review concerns the accuracy and fairness of an online story about government support of Canadian banks. While there was no violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices, there was room for improvement to provide background to the story. ...
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The review follows a complaint that a CBC Television report was unfair in describing alleged voting irregularities in the 2011 federal election. I did not find a violation of policy but that the description could have been better worded. ...
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The review follows a public complaint about reports on CBC Radio and CBC.ca about an Amnesty International report on capital punishment worldwide. While there was a violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices, CBC corrected the online error. ...
Friday, Apr 27, 2012
The review follows a complaint that a CBC Radio report March 16 on so-called "robocalls" to voters in the 2011 federal election campaign contained inaccurate information. I did not find a violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...
Friday, Apr 13, 2012
This review follows a public complaint about the non-inclusion of information in a CBC Toronto interview segment last January on the Metro Morning radio program. I did not find there was a violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...
Wednesday, Apr 11, 2012
The review concerns a complaint about the description of a think-tank as one that "leans sharply to the left." CBC News acknowledged a violation of its journalistic practice and committed to remind its staff about its policy. ...
Wednesday, Apr 11, 2012
The review involves a complaint about a CBC.ca opinion piece by Stockwell Day on the focus by the Occupy movement on the income gap between rich and poor. There was no violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...
Friday, Mar 30, 2012
This review follows a complaint that CBC Television and CBC.ca reports on violent attacks this winter on Canadian tourists in Mexico were biased and unfair. I did not find a policy violation of CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. ...