Saturday, August 06, 2011

What is CBC Policy on publishing the names of suspects... That depends.

What exactly is CBC News Policy on the naming of suspects?

Here is what CBC stated was their policy in regards to publishing the names/pictures of suspects
"CBC News' practice is not to name suspects, and therefore is not publishing the names or photos of the suspects at this time."  (Note: The original wording in that story read "“CBC News is not publishing the names or photos of the suspects at this time” and it was changed sometime after the original story hit their website.)

Since that story hit the web others have found examples of CBC doing the exact opposite and naming suspects, but today the CBC has really outdone themselves and have hit the trifecta today with this story. "Edmonton police are searching for a 17-year-old woman who is allegedly having unprotected sex without disclosing her HIV-positive status."

Not only did they publish the photo and name a 'suspect', something they claimed they do not do, but this particular suspect is a 17 yrs old minor who now has had what most would consider to be her private medical information posted by the CBC on the internet!

I think we need a clarity act for CBC Policy.

BTW: I hope that Kirk LaPointe, the CBC Ombudsman, (whom I have great respect for) gets on this ASAP.

7 comments:

E Mac said...

Like Nycole, Jack Layton and the NDP.
They have absolutely NO credibility!
Plain and simple, so what's new?

Frances said...

If that woman were wanted for murder, would her identity have to be kept secret because of her status? Also, if the murder victim was a family member, that person's identity could not be revealed either. So what gives with CBC publishing photo and name of this minor!!

Ardvark said...

A bit over the top and well off topic there Anon.

Comment deleted.

bocanut said...

CBC-Journaloser training institution

CanadianSense said...

If you are looking for some consistency in how the CBC violates their own stated policies you will need to play goalie(hockey) without use of a helmet for a few seasons.

A few run ins while skiing might speed up the process.

Kaffir_Kanuck said...

CBC doesn't need clarity, it needs to be defunded, to the extent that they keep the radio and the Northern CBC going until enough folks move up there to create their own media.

But for God's sake, asking for a clarity act is like asking the Government to spend more tax dollars on some over site that already exists, but the CBC still refuses to allow us access to their information.

tellingitlikeitis said...

Not only that, but is this girl not protected by the young offenders act?