Fetch article content from a canonical CBC News or CBC Sports story URL, returning story metadata and body paragraphs. Use for extracting text from supported story pages.
Get CBC News article content. Returns public CBC News or CBC Sports story metadata and body paragraphs from a canonical story URL. Live-updates pages are not supported.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | Canonical CBC News or CBC Sports story URL |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.5Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries the behavioral disclosure burden. It discloses that the content is public, that the return includes metadata and body paragraphs, and that live-updates pages are unsupported. It does not discuss auth or error behavior, but for a public read-only fetch these are less critical gaps.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The definition is two dense sentences with no filler. The first sentence front-loads the verb, resource, and return contents; the second adds a concise, useful limitation.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a single-parameter article fetcher, the description is complete enough: it states what the tool returns, what URL type is accepted, and a notable unsupported case. It lacks explicit sibling routing, but an agent has enough context to invoke it correctly.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 100%—the url parameter is already described as a 'Canonical CBC News or CBC Sports story URL.' The description reinforces this by mentioning canonical story URL and live-updates exclusion, but it adds no new syntax or format details beyond the schema, so the baseline of 3 applies.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses a specific verb and resource: 'Get CBC News article content' and states the precise scope: 'CBC News or CBC Sports story metadata and body paragraphs from a canonical story URL.' It clearly differentiates from sibling tools like cbc_headlines and cbc_sections by focusing on fetching a full article from a canonical URL.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description gives clear context for when to use the tool—when you have a canonical story URL and want article content—and explicitly excludes live-updates pages. However, it does not name sibling tools such as cbc_headlines or cbc_sections as alternatives, so it stops short of full routing guidance.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.