Since its launch in 2018, CBC's Gem streaming service has faced criticism from Canadians. The service costs $5.99 a month for those who want to access CBC News Network without a cable subscription or view tax-funded programming without advertisements. Critics argue that this fee is an additional burden on Canadians, who already contribute approximately $1.5 billion annually to the public broadcaster.

Matt Malone, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, has sought to obtain subscriber numbers for CBC Gem through an access-to-information request. Despite an order from the information commissioner to release the data, CBC has opted to challenge the directive in court. This decision raises questions about the broadcaster's transparency, especially given its history of holding governments accountable for similar issues.

In 2018, CBC took legal action against the Ontario government for withholding ministerial mandate letters. The case reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the province, citing cabinet confidentiality. Malone noted that CBC is often more secretive than the government when it comes to disclosing information related to its operations.

CBC has argued that releasing subscriber data could harm its competitive position by providing sensitive information to competitors. However, the information commissioner disagreed, stating that CBC did not demonstrate a reasonable expectation of harm. Critics suggest that knowing the number of Gem subscribers would not significantly benefit private streaming services like Netflix or Crave, which already have a broader range of content.

The reluctance to disclose subscriber numbers may stem from the service's underperformance. According to viewership data shared with C21Media, CBC Gem captured only 0.35 percent of the streaming market in Ontario from September 2023 to June 2024. In contrast, YouTube dominated with 32.9 percent, followed by Netflix at 14.1 percent, Prime Video at 13.6 percent, and Disney+ at 3.7 percent.

The entertainment industry typically releases subscriber data when it reflects positively on a service. For instance, successful pay-per-view events often see promoters publicizing viewer numbers to highlight their popularity. The absence of such data from CBC suggests a lack of interest in its programming, raising concerns about the broadcaster's ability to engage Canadians effectively.