The CBC withheld paid subscriber numbers for its $72/year Gem streaming service, citing "commercially sensitive" reasons in a Federal Court filing. This comes after MPs questioned former CEO Catherine Tait's claim of "millions of Canadians" subscribing.

The CBC earlier denied a transparency request for numbers, citing competitive harm. After an appeal, the federal information commissioner ordered the disclosure.

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University of Ottawa assistant professor Matt Malone filed an Access To Information request for "basic transparency" and claims this sets a poor precedent for journalists.

On August 20, the Information Commissioner ordered the disclosure of data regarding the number of paid Gem subscribers, following a 2024 application, according to Blacklock’s. A spokesperson called this interpretation of the law incorrect.

.@CBCGem asks federal judge to quash @OIC_CI_Canada order to disclose subscription numbers though ex-CEO Catherine Tait had publicly boasted it was 2M.

“It might be that Gem is useless."  https://t.co/5MshwpUCLs @KevinWaugh_CPC @ShaunPoulter @PresidentCBCRC pic.twitter.com/mIyt5IPmsP

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) October 17, 2025

CEO Catherine Tait reported on November 25 that CBC Gem subscriptions were in the millions and online viewership, including YouTube, was growing. Tait stated, "CBC Gem, launched at the beginning of my tenure, now reaches millions of Canadians."

"CBC Gem is the second most popular streaming service after Crave," she stated, reiterating this claim at a May 7, 2024 heritage committee hearing. She added that Gem, launched in 2019, now attracts approximately two million English Canadians.

Network managers gave conflicting testimony, with then-executive vice president Barbara Williams stating in 2024 that The National viewership on Gem was a modest 50,000.

Canadian Media Research's Barry Kiefl highlighted a lack of public data on the Gem audience, noting that while CBC shares TV and radio listenership, they have been "dead silent for over 20 years" on digital service audience numbers.

New research from the group indicates declining online engagement for the state broadcaster. 

Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta Director @kris_sims roasts the CBC with their own data:

"According to its own latest quarterly report, CBC News Network's audience share is 1.7%. Meaning more than 98% of Canadians are choosing to not watch CBC's news channel." pic.twitter.com/JmxH2nlqmu

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) December 2, 2024

Conservative MP Kevin Waugh noted at a September 24 committee hearing that Crave, owned by Bell Media, boasts 3.8 million subscribers, while CBC Gem struggles to share its content. “It might be that Gem is useless and should have been torched a long time ago.”

Tait stated Gem's success, especially with kids watching its "fabulous shows" on their devices, offset main network viewership losses. She stressed considering the "totality of the experience" for viewership measurement.

Gem, offering free and paid ($5.99/month) versions, has "little or no participation in this country," argued Waugh, with subscriber figures still undisclosed.

Tait attributed declining TV ratings and ad revenue to a "digital shift," necessitating CBC's "transformation plan" for a digital future.

The broadcaster’s new five-year strategic plan, released Tuesday, aims to reverse declining engagement by utilizing content creators, influencers, and third-party platforms to attract younger viewers.