CBC launches court fight to keep Gem subscriber numbers confidential

By Canadian Press on October 20, 2025.

OTTAWA — CBC/Radio-Canada has filed an application in Federal Court to fight an order directing it to disclose subscriber numbers for its Gem streaming service.

The information commissioner ordered CBC to make available the number of paid subscribers to Gem following an access-to-information request for the data.

CBC/Radio-Canada president Marie-Philippe Bouchard says the subscriber numbers are sensitive commercial information.

She says that confidentiality matters when it comes to things like commercial negotiations on bundling Gem with another streaming service.

Bouchard says the information commissioner’s ruling contradicts the federal broadcaster regulator’s stance on subscriber numbers.

She says CBC/Radio-Canada wants the courts to provide clarity on the issue.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

11
-10