CBC headquarters in downtown Toronto.

OTTAWA - CBC may be willing to take $1 billion from taxpayers each year to produce its news content, but the state broadcaster is tight-lipped about what it earns selling that same material to some of the biggest companies in the world.

In a move that continues to pit the government-subsidized CBC against other privately owned media companies, CBC recently renewed an agreement to sell its news stories to Microsoft. Microsoft then posts CBC news stories on its website.

An access to information request for details of the contract included several pages that were close to blank with all pertinent material removed.

According to CBC, whose own newsroom seeks information on all kinds of government contracts, the material on the Microsoft deal is too sensitive to release.

The state broadcaster claims that releasing the Microsoft contract "could reasonably be expected to prejudice the competitive position of a government institution."

CBC also claims privacy, third-party information and that releasing the information could aid in the commission of a crime.

Despite calls for openness from the government it covers, CBC has consistently received poor to failing grades for its handling of public disclosure.