Travis Dhanraj, the former host of CBC News Network’s Canada Tonight, has launched Can’t Be Censored, a new podcast alongside former CP24 anchor/reporter Karman Wong.
Dhanraj spectacularly resigned from CBC and his position as host of Canada Tonight in July “under duress,” telling former colleagues in an open letter that his resignation had come “after trying to navigate a workplace culture defined by retaliation, exclusion, and psychological harm.”
Among the topics covered in the first episode of Can’t Be Censored are some of the “problematic issues” that Dhanraj alleges he experienced at the public broadcaster, including failed DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies and a work culture he describes as “toxic,” particularly at the Ottawa bureau where he suggests there is a power imbalance putting editorial decisions in the hands of a few.
Dhanraj, who has filed a complaint against the CBC with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, brings receipts, including audio of conversations with CBC management.
“I’m sure the CBC has a different interpretation all of these events. That is their right, they can have that interpretation, but this is my perspective and how I recall these events happening,” Dhanraj stipulated.
Dhanraj said Canada Tonight was “set up for failure” before it even started, recounting how his attempts to bring “different perspectives to the table” failed, specifically a segment called “Intersection,” bringing together a range of guests with diverse views.
“I think that what happens sometimes is that there is this groupthink mentality,” said Dhanraj. “That’s why editorial independence is key to have that within newsrooms and to have that amongst hosts as well. My show would be different than somebody else’s…that’s why I thought I was hired – for my perspective and my view…that I would be shaping things and have a certain level of editorial independence. That was not the case.”
Dhanraj said he was told by management, the segment was “sophomoric,” who ultimately cancelled the panel. That was followed by a request in April 2024 to have former CBC President Catherine Tait on the show to discuss the controversial issue of executive bonuses. When she declined, Dhanraj posted to Twitter about it and says he was subsequently pulled off the air for editorializing.
“If this is happening to a national host with a primetime show, I am concerned for other folks there,” Dhanraj told Wong. “This is why I think they need better whistleblower protections for folks who will actually call out some of this stuff.”
“If we zoom out beyond me…in my humble opinion, there was no separation going on there between the corporate interests and the operations of the newsroom. And that is key,” he added. “You can’t have senior executives that have the interests of the corporation impacting the work journalists are doing. We should not have to be operating in a state of fear for calling somebody out. It’s our jobs to hold people accountable.”
Future episodes promise to feature “leaders, outsiders, and everyday Canadians who deserve to be heard. Because we need a platform where audiences are trusted to make up their own minds — and right now, mainstream media simply isn’t doing that.”
The duo have also launched the Can’t Be Censored app, available now in the Apple App Store, which will feature exclusive articles and content.
The podcast is being produced by Dhanraj’s newly-founded PR and communications firm Westbridge Strategies.
