Ethics policy | Diversity statement | Corrections policy | Ownership structure | Masthead | Editorial ethics guidelines | Mission statement | Verification/fact-checking standards | Unnamed sources policy | Bylines and signatures | Trust and CTV News | Public engagement policy
This is a summary of CTV News policies and is not meant to be comprehensive. CTV News is committed to producing journalism that is accurate, fair and complete. Our journalists act with honesty, transparency, and independence, including from conflicts of interest.
As part of Bell Media, it is a core principle of CTV News to represent ethnocultural groups, Indigenous people and persons with disabilities in a balanced and accurate manner. Our policy is to seek out diverse voices, not only in the types of stories we cover but also in our sources, on-screen, on-the-air, behind the scenes and within our workforce. Understanding the composition of Bell Media's workforce is at the heart of its diversity and inclusion strategy. Bell Media employees are asked to complete a diversity questionnaire, from which data is analyzed on a monthly basis. Reports on this data along with their action plans are presented to Bell Media's Diversity Leadership Council, so it can monitor progress against benchmarks and established goals in its efforts to employ and build a diverse workforce.
Our commitment to diversity is also reflected in the types of stories we report on at CTV News. CTV News monitors the statistics of its full-time staff as it is committed to employment equity and diversity. To protect individual privacy, it does not publicly disclose these numbers.
The goal of CTV News is to be accurate and balanced. Our credibility on air and online depends upon such reporting. Accordingly, CTV News will endeavour to promptly correct significant errors of fact in its journalism, once we determine that an error has been made. The placement of a correction made will be dependent upon how critical the error is, when it is discovered and the repercussions of the error. If we are correcting a significant error in an online article, photo caption, video or other content, we should post a correction on the story page explaining the alteration in a timely fashion. Sometimes, our reporting may be accurate, but the wording used may not be as clear as it could be. In these situations, CTV News will consider rewriting the story and/or publishing a clarification.
An online article is not considered inaccurate, or does not contain an error, simply because there have been future developments in a story after publication. However, CTV will consider newly available information to determine whether an update is necessary. In the case of an update, a specific notification to our readers is not usually necessary as a time stamp will indicate that an update has occurred. Our archival material is very important, and in this digital age, reflects a permanent record of the information available at the time of original publication. In some exceptional cases, that material or parts of it may be substantially wrong. In these situations, we will review the material and determine whether the original story should be revised or rewritten, or whether an update, clarification or correction should be published. The content of a significant correction or clarification and its timing and placement will be the ultimate responsibility of senior news management.
Requests to remove online content: Our online journalism is part of the historical record and our archives represent our commitment to accuracy and fairness. Since our online material is available indefinitely and can be searched and retrieved online, we are regularly being asked to “unpublish” or remove online articles or video, often many years after the content was first published. We do not, except in very narrow circumstances, unpublish articles or video. Source remorse or embarrassment is not a reason to unpublish. If someone changes their mind about being quoted, that is not sufficient reason to remove content from our archives.
However, if there is a change in circumstances, for example, criminal charges were dropped after we had reported that a person was charged with an offence, CTV will review the new information and consider whether it is warranted to update our story to include the new facts. If we determine that an update is appropriate, the original story will not be removed, only updated. We will only consider removal requests in very exceptional circumstances. These may include legal considerations or where the named person is facing genuine threats of physical harm. In these rare circumstances, any decision to remove content must be weighed against the public’s right to know and the historical record and only after consultation with senior news management, who will make the final decision, after considering all these issues including legal ramifications.
Founded in 1971, CTV News is from Bell Media, part of BCE, a publicly traded company. CTV News operations include specialty channels CTV NEWS CHANNEL, BNN Bloomberg, CP24, and information programming including CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH OMAR SACHEDINA, CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH SANDIE RINALDO, W5, POWER PLAY, and QUESTION PERIOD. CTV News’ digital operations include flagship news sites CTVNews.ca, as well as CP24.com and BNNBloomberg.ca, and are complemented by the CTV News, CP24 and BNN Bloomberg apps. Part of Bell Media’s vast slate of podcast offerings, CTV News’ podcasts include QUESTION PERIOD, POWER PLAY and TREND LINE. CTV News is committed to upholding principles of journalistic independence and is governed by a Journalistic Independence Policy ensuring independence and non-interference between BCE and CTV News while remaining in compliance with the Broadcast Act and relevant industry codes.
CTV News is funded through advertising revenue and does not receive government funding or subsidies.
Richard Gray
Vice-President, CTV News
David Hughes
Director and Senior Managing Editor, CTV News
Corey Bellamy
Director, Digital Growth, CTV News
Jonathan Kay
Director, News Technology and Production, CTV News
Sophia Skopelitis
Director, Content Creator Talent and People Resources, CTV News
Joel Bowey
Senior Managing Assignment Editor, CTV News
Scott Ferguson
News Director, Centralized Writing Service For CTV News
James Lewis
Executive Producer, CTV News Toronto and CP24
Derek Miller
Executive Producer, CTV National News, CTV News Channel, BNN Bloomberg
Mary Nersessian
News Director, Digital
Joanne Woo
News Director, CTV News Channel
CTV News’ newsgathering is independent of commercial or political interests. We do not accept gifts, including paid travel, in order to avoid any conflict-of-interest or appearance thereof. When we rely on an organization for a product or access to an event, we are transparent about the relationship and note it within the relevant work. The newsroom is insulated from advertisers and underwriters by a firewall. All CTV News properties, news directors, producers, editors, and journalists follow our internal CTV News Policy Handbook which specifies strict adherence to the RTDNA Code of Journalistic Ethics and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ (CAB) Code of Ethics, which mutually govern impartiality in the newsgathering process.
These codes also govern the dissemination of information and news to our readers and viewers. These guiding principles underscore our commitment to journalism that is accurate and reliable in the public interest.
CTV News’ mandate is to uphold journalistic integrity and independence under all circumstances and at all times, without exception. As a reputable news organization in a democracy, it is the fundamental purpose of CTV News to enable Canadians to know what is happening and to clarify events so they may form their own conclusions. This is done through accurate, fair, and relevant stories told in a clear and compelling way.
With a perspective that is uniquely Canadian and via a network of national, international, and local news operations, our mission is to be Canada’s most trusted news source, providing the most timely and relevant news and information on all platforms while adhering to the highest standards of journalism at all times. Our target audience is a broad cross-section of Canadians of all ages who are interested in the world around them.
This news organization commits to do its best to publish accurate information across all of its content. We take many steps to ensure accuracy: We investigate claims with skepticism; question assumptions; challenge conventional wisdom; confirm information with subject-matter experts; and seek to corroborate what sources tell us by talking with other informed people or consulting documents. We verify content, such as technical terms, stats, etc., against source documents or make clear who is providing the information. We may share relevant components of a story with a primary source or an outside expert to verify them.
We stand by the information as accurate, and if it’s not, we will change it as quickly as possible and be transparent with our readers about the magnitude of the error.
We guide our journalists to ask the following questions when they double-check information in a quest for the truth.
We welcome feedback from our readers and sources regarding the information that we publish. Contact: ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca.
We provide a means for the public to report inaccurate or contested material.
We include the name and contact information for the reporter, as well as the editor’s name, for each substantive news item that we publish.
Our objective is to get everything 'on the record.' Our viewers deserve to know where we get our information, who our sources are and why their comments merit their trust. We should strive to attribute all comments. We must guard against those who wish to use anonymity as a means to hide the truth, deride opponents or manipulate public opinion. But there are circumstances when permitting anonymity is necessary to obtain sensitive information vital to the public good or where the source might face harm, legal jeopardy or loss of livelihood for speaking with us.
We are committed to using bylines except in circumstances as described below, when stories are the culmination of several journalists or when they are supplied by a news agency.
CTVNews.ca staff: If you see the CTVNews.ca staff byline rather than a byline for a specific reporter, writer or producer, it may be that the story was a piece of content based on the work of several people. It may be a collaboration based on the work of several journalists at CTV News, including and not limited to: writers, producers, reporters, trusted content from wire agencies (see information below). On some pages you will see bylines from news agencies rather than CTVNews.ca staff. We trust news agencies to help us cover the world as fully as possible and to adhere to the highest journalistic standards.
The Canadian Press: CP has been Canada's trusted national news agency for more than 100 years, a news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms. Through words, photos, graphics, audio and video, more than 180 journalists cover news stories that impact Canadians with fairness, compassion, accuracy and taste. CP, a for-profit enterprise owned jointly by three of Canada's largest media companies, gives Canadians an authentic, unbiased source, driven by truth, accuracy and timeliness. More details about CP's news principles are available here.
The Associated Press: AP is an independent, not-for-profit news co-operative, serving member newspapers and broadcasters in the U.S., and other customers around the world. CTV News is proud to be one of them. AP journalists in more than 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting to visual storytelling. Since 1846, AP has been covering the world’s biggest news events, always committed to the highest standards of objective, accurate journalism. Learn more about policies and standards in AP’s Statement of News Values and Principles.
Reuters: Founded in 1851 in London by German-born Paul Reuter, Reuters is an international news organization owned by Thomson Reuters. Reuters was acquired by the Thomson Corporation in 2008 and now makes up the media division of Thomson Reuters. It employs some 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide, publishing in more than 16 languages and reaching billions of people every day. More details about Reuters' standards and values are available here.
CNN: Staffed 24 hours, seven days a week by a dedicated team in CNN bureaus around the world, CNN's digital platforms deliver news from almost 4,000 journalists in every corner of the globe.
CTV News is a member of the Trust Project, a global network of news organizations.
Founded by award-winning journalist Sally Lehrman, the Trust Project aims to build standards that affirm and amplify journalism’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness.
Tools developed by the Trust Project, such as a system of trust indicators, are designed to inform the public so they can make informed news choices.
CTV News holds itself accountable to our commitment to journalistic standards. And in a time when readers are bombarded with information online, we want to make it easier for the public to understand how our journalism is produced.
For these reasons, CTV News has taken several measures to enhance trust and improve transparency:
Trust indicators include:
These indicators of credible journalism are also “machine-readable,” signalling to search engines and social media platforms that they are reliable sources of information.
You can find more information on the Trust Project here.
We believe that public feedback is not a one-way street -- that is, simply publishing your comments or letters. Instead, we are committed to engaging with you and taking action based on your suggestions, complaints and other feedback. You may help us develop an individual story or line of coverage, answer questions that a story may raise, identify related or under-covered issues, and teach us about new and diverse sources, experts and perspectives. In line with this, we are committed to providing greater transparency about our journalism and offering regular points of contact and interaction. We believe that news organizations have a responsibility to engage with the public on the values, issues and ideas of the day, and that we have much to gain in return.
Here’s how you can reach us: 416-384-6300 or ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca.
Here’s how you can reach our local teams:
Donald Trump has said he wouldn’t be a dictator — 'except for Day 1.' According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.
King Charles III led the nation Sunday in a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen service personnel in central London as the Princess of Wales looked on, a further sign the royal family is slowly returning to normal at the end of a year in which two of the most popular royals were sidelined by cancer.
The outfield lights at a baseball stadium in Cuba proved to be little match for Hurricane Rafael’s extreme wind.
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
The black balls – initially thought to be made of tar – were actually mini "fatbergs," made up of human feces, methamphetamine, human hair, fatty acids, and food waste, among hundreds of other vile and befuddling substances.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.
Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
Select Porsche owners in Canada have been told to stop driving their cars immediately and to seek repairs after an issue was identified that could cause wheels to separate from vehicles.
Students at a Que. school are accusing their teacher of unlawfully selling their art online. Genevieve Beauchemin has the details.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
Nova Scotia's New Democratic Party says a candidate criticized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs for "troubling" and "damaging" social media posts is no longer running for the party in the Nov. 26 general election.
Winnipeg firefighters rescued and reunited a cat with its owners Saturday after a house fire in the city’s Burrows neighbourhood.
Dozens of people gathered in Surrey's Holland Park on Saturday to show their support for the family of missing 18-year-old Joseph Maku.
A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.
Brian Avery was three years old when he and his parents packed their belongings into a boat and pulled away from Deer Harbour, N.L., leaving behind their home, their way of life and centuries of family history.
Donald Trump has said he wouldn’t be a dictator — 'except for Day 1.' According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.
Thousands of Spaniards marched in the eastern city of Valencia on Saturday to demand the resignation of the regional president in charge of the emergency response to last week's catastrophic floods that left more than 200 dead and others missing.
Paris police said Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for a France-Israel soccer match to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation a week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam.
Gunmen open fired in a bar in central Mexico killing 10 people and injuring seven, a local official said.
Bitcoin on Sunday hit a new record above US$80,000. The world’s largest cryptocurrency surged in the run-up to Tuesday’s US presidential election, rose sharply immediately on election night after it became clear Donald Trump would win and has continued rising in the days since his victory.
The outfield lights at a baseball stadium in Cuba proved to be little match for Hurricane Rafael’s extreme wind.
Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.
Canada's ambassador to the United States — and co-lead of the federal government's Team Canada war room — says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has a different understanding of the bilateral relationship than he did during his first term in the White House.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has thrown his weight behind a campaign fighting for better work rights for Kal Tire employees, joining a picket line of workers in Burnaby Saturday morning.
Just five more minutes of exercise doesn’t sound so bad, right? Especially when such a small amount may improve your blood pressure, according to a new study.
Researchers say taking a peek inside a person's brain is as difficult as understanding the universe or discovering the ocean in its entirety.
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
Bernadett 'Bett'” Szabó, a 19-year-old Hungarian sex worker, was murdered in the Dutch capital in 2009. Now, more than 15 years after her death, police are hoping to uncover new information about her killing.
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
Elwood Edwards, who voiced America Online’s ever-present 'You’ve got mail' greeting, has died Tuesday at his home in New Bern, N. C. He was 74.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
The first 'Saturday Night Live' since Donald Trump's election victory began with the most somber of tones as a group of plainly dressed cast members, primarily women and minorities, described their new reality.
Kate Winslet shared an anecdote about an encounter she had with someone from her star-making blockbuster film 'Titanic' while producing her new film 'Lee.'
Shannon Davidson was let go from her executive role at a marketing firm last year after a merger led to cuts. She knew she wasn't done with her career yet, but finding her next workplace in her mid-50s was a daunting prospect.
Bitcoin on Sunday hit a new record above US$80,000. The world’s largest cryptocurrency surged in the run-up to Tuesday’s US presidential election, rose sharply immediately on election night after it became clear Donald Trump would win and has continued rising in the days since his victory.
Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia's ports since Monday.
Doom spending, or the practice of spending money to soothe fears about broader issues like politics or the economy, shows up everywhere from YouTube and TikTok videos to Reddit to personal finance discussions and data in surveys.
A Vancouver designer is making waves in the architectural world with an outdoor modular building created to address the city’s unrelenting housing crisis.
A rare letter signed by three of the U.S. Founding Fathers of the United States is going on sale, and is expected to fetch up to US$1 million when it goes under the hammer next week.\
The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.
No. 15 LSU has been criticized for unveiling a live caged tiger in its stadium for the first time in almost a decade before they were routed 42-13 by No. 11 Alabama in their SEC showdown.
A Maui man who lost a part of his leg to a shark bite is now out of the hospital and thanking those who saved his life and helped him recover.
Select Porsche owners in Canada have been told to stop driving their cars immediately and to seek repairs after an issue was identified that could cause wheels to separate from vehicles.
A driver's trip from London, Ont. to Ottawa to visit their girlfriend ended in a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 417, according to police.
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
