DUBAI: Twitter has changed a recently added label on the BBC’s main account from “government-funded media” to “publicly funded media,” after the British media organization raised concerns and asked the platform for clarification.
US radio network National Public Radio had the label “state-affiliated media” applied to its Twitter account last week. It objected and the label was changed to “government-funded media” but NPR, which is publicly funded by listeners, is unhappy with that description as well.
It had already halted all activity on the platform, and on Wednesday announced it will no longer post content to any of its 52 official Twitter feeds. Instead it posted links to its accounts on other social media platforms, and to its newsletters.
“I would never have our content go anywhere that would risk our credibility,” said NPR CEO John Lansing.
Users who click on the “government-funded media,” “publicly funded media” and “state-affiliated media” labels are taken to a page on Twitter that explains what they mean.
State-affiliated media “is defined as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution.”
Government-funded media “is defined as outlets where the government provides some or all of the outlet’s funding and may have varying degrees of government involvement over editorial content.”
Publicly-funded media “refers to media organizations that receive funding from license fees, individual contributions, public financing, and commercial financing.”
The BBC is primarily funded by the British people, who must pay an annual license fee for each household that uses a television. The organization’s Royal Charter states that it “must be independent,” particularly in terms of its “editorial and creative decisions.”
In 2022, 71 percent of the BBC’s income came from license fees, and the rest from commercial activities and other sources, including grants, royalties and rental income.
In an interview with BBC reporter James Clayton on Tuesday, Twitter owner Elon Musk confirmed he would change the label on the organization’s account.
“If we use the same words that the BBC uses to describe itself, that presumably would be OK … That seems to pass a reasonable test,” said Musk.
Twitter updated BBC’s label to “publicly funded media” on Wednesday. NPR’s label remained “government-funded media.”
