Twitter labels BBC, NPR 'government-funded media'; broadcasters react sharply
What's the story
Twitter has reportedly labeled the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the United States (US)-based radio network National Public Radio (NPR) as "government-funded media" on their official Twitter handles, prompting both media houses to respond strongly to the decision. While the BBC objected, claiming it has always been independent media funded by license fees paid by United Kingdom citizens, the NPR called the move "unacceptable."
Context
Why does this story matter?
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has made significant changes to the microblogging site since he took over, which is not surprising given his criticism of the previous administration's handling of the company. Musk also introduced a new verification system after describing the previous one as a system of "lords and peasants." He even promised a Twitter where every voice would be heard equally.
Reaction
How did broadcasters react to new Twitter labels?
Twitter first labeled NPR as "state-affiliated media" but later changed it to "government-funded," prompting its CEO, John Lansing, to term the move "unacceptable." Similarly, the BBC claimed that the broadcaster "is, and always has been, independent." "We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. We are funded by the British public through the license fee," the BBC said.
Objection
Twitter CEO Elon Musk responds to complaint
Following the objection by the BBC, Musk said that more detail would be added to the @BBC account's label. In an email to BBC, Musk reportedly said that he was considering adding a label that would link to "exact funding sources" after learning that the firm is supported by licensing fees. However, it is unclear whether this applies to other media sources.
Information
Many BBC-linked accounts remain unmarked
While the @BBC account—with 2.2 million followers—has been given a label, BBC's other accounts associated with news and sports, having a much larger reach, don't have a tag. The said account typically publishes information on BBC-produced TV series, radio broadcasts, podcasts, and other non-news content.
NPR
How did the controversy begin?
Before the row over BBC's tag, Twitter triggered controversy by labeling NPR as "state-affiliated media," implying the US government's alleged influence on its editorial policy. Twitter has labeled outlets like the Kremlin-funded Russia Today with the same, too. Following backlash from NPR, which stated that it would not tweet from the account while the label was in place, it was changed to "government-funded media."
Twitter Post
Twitter thread: Elon Musk's response after backlash
We need to add more granularity to editorial influence, as it varies greatly. I don’t actually think the BBC is as biased as some other government-funded media, but it is silly of the BBC to claim zero influence.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2023
Minor government influence in their case would be accurate.
Define
How Twitter defines its labels
When users click on one of the labels, they are directed to Twitter's label support page. Notably, "state-affiliated media" are outlets where the state exerts control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. The page, however, lacks a description for the "government-funded media" label.