During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, CBC made the decision to temporarily grant free access to CBC News Network on Gem.
As of December 15th, 2020 this free access will end and the News Network live stream on Gem will go back to being a Premium only feature.
You can read more about how to access CBC Gem premium here
Why do I have to pay to access CBC News Network? Don’t my taxes pay for this?
The Pandemic isn’t over and many Canadians are still out of work. Why are you stopping this free preview now?
How much will subscribing to News Network on Gem cost ?
Isn’t CBC Gem a free service? Now I will have to pay for that as well?
I live outside of Canada, why can’t I access NewsNet?
How can I watch government announcements and live updates now?
Will this affect how I see my local news or The National?
I still don’t have my full local news as supper hour and in the evenings, why would you end this when I am still losing access to news?
Why do I have to pay to access CBC News Network? Don’t my taxes pay for this?
CBC News Network was created on a paid broadcast model – it is supported financially through subscription and advertising revenues, and does not receive public funding.
There is consequently a streaming subscription fee on gem.cbc.ca which mirrors the broadcast subscription fee.
The Pandemic isn’t over and many Canadians are still out of work. Why are you stopping this free preview now?
Our commitment to covering all COVID-19 remains strong across all of our platforms, offering access to the latest information at the local and National level and all the breaking news Canadians need.
Episodes of The National are available to all Canadians without the need of a Premium CBC Gem subscription.
You can read more about how to access The National here
How much will subscribing to News Network on Gem cost ?
CBC Gem:
The Premium Subscription is $4.99 per month (plus applicable taxes) and is available for purchase via the CBC Gem app for Android, Apple TV, iPad and iPhone, as well as on the CBC Gem website (cbc.ca/gem). New subscribers receive a free, one month trial.
You will be charged each month by your subscription provider (Apple, Google, CBC).
You can cancel anytime. This subscription also offers add-free access to all CBC Gem content, including our recently announced upcoming season.
Cable Subscription:
For pricing contact your current service provider.
Isn’t CBC Gem a free service? Now I will have to pay for that as well?
CBC Gem offers audiences in Canada no-cost access to a wide variety of CBC News and program offerings including local regional news.
Canadians may also subscribe to a premium membership, which provides access to a live stream of CBC News Network, access to ad-free on demand programming, and early access to CBC Gem exclusive content.
All children’s programming is always provided ad-free within CBC Gem.
You can read more about CBC Gem here.
I live outside of Canada, why can’t I access CBC News Network?
CBC Gem is only available from within Canada. Due to rights issues and licensing agreements, much of our content is geofenced, including that content which appears on gem.cbc.ca and the CBC Gem app.
However, you can access some of our content outside of Canada without restrictions.
Your can stream The National without geographical restrictions here
How can I watch government announcements and live updates now?
You will still be able to see live health updates and press briefings from the Prime Minister, on CBC.ca as well as on our News App, Facebook and NewsNet.
Any breaking news will also be carried on the main network and Radio One.
Will this affect how I see my local news or The National?
You can still access your local news programming on our Main Network, the CBC News App and CBC Gem. You can also access the latest news via CBC Radio..
I still don’t have my full local news as supper hour and in the evenings, why would you end this when I am still losing access to news?
We are committed to fully restoring local TV news coverage but must remain responsive in a rapidly changing environment. As the COVID-19 situation evolves, CBC is adapting accordingly to provide the daily news to all Canadians across all of our platforms while ensuring the well-being of our staff.
If you need any additional help, please contact Gem customer support by clicking here or selecting the help option in the CBC Gem app.
Please note that as the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve and more people are using our service, help requests have dramatically increased.
We will do our best to quickly answer all questions that come in. so please be patient if you do not receive a response from us right away.