News Brands in Canada

The News industry in Canada occupies a complex space within the GCBI. While news brands are often central to national discourse, they struggle to achieve the emotional warmth seen in other sectors. The top-performing news brand in the GCBI is The Globe and Mail, which leads the category due to relatively strong scores in respectful and honest. This suggests that Canadians view it as a serious, principled news source, even if it may not evoke the friendliness or approachability that characterizes higher-ranked brands overall. In an industry where trust and credibility are paramount, the Globe’s perception as balanced and professional appears to give it an edge, particularly among more informed or urban audiences.

That said, the News category overall sees lower scores across emotional dimensions like friendly, nice, and adventurous—indicating a lack of personal or uplifting engagement. This is perhaps unsurprising: media brands are tasked with covering complex, often distressing topics, and as a result, may not generate the kind of positivity that boosts perception in other sectors. Still, the relatively modest GCBI scores point to a broader challenge—the erosion of public trust in traditional media. While brands like CBC and Citytv remain present in the index and maintain decent ratings in tolerant and respectful, they face increased scrutiny and competition in a fragmented, polarized media landscape.

Recent headlines and social media discourse around perceived media bias, defunding concerns, and digital paywalls have further complicated public attitudes. For example, CBC has faced both political attacks and funding challenges that may impact its perception, despite being seen by many as a national institution. In a time when misinformation is rampant, Canadians are looking for news outlets that demonstrate transparency, fairness, and public accountability. Brands that lean too far in one ideological direction or appear too corporate risk alienating segments of the population who feel underserved or distrusting.

To regain public trust and improve their emotional resonance, Canadian news brands must double down on transparency, civic responsibility, and inclusive storytelling. This means not only reporting fairly, but also engaging with communities in ways that feel human, not institutional. Journalism in Canada is still valued, but brands that can humanize the news, demonstrate humility, and actively counter misinformation are those that stand the best chance of rising in the eyes of the public—and in the GCBI rankings.