There has been a lot of controversy over the internet since the online social media platform Twitter labeled the two popular broadcasters, namely the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and NPR (National Public Radio), as “government-funded media.”
Twitter CEO, Elon Musk, vindicated his move of labeling the two media organizations as “government-funded,” despite the fact that the BBC and NPR are in disapproval of this decision.
BBC Protests Against Twitter’s Label
The British Broadcasting Corporation protested against Twitter’s initiative of labeling the BBC, and NPR as “government-funded media.”
The corporation contacted Elon Musk, complaining about this decision. They said, “We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the license fee.”
The editorial guidelines of the BBC state, “In applying due impartiality to news, we give due weight to events, opinion and the main strands of argument. We may produce content about any subject, at any point on the spectrum of debate, as long as there are good editorial reasons for doing so.”
NPR’s Label Controversy
The US radio network NPR was initially labeled as “state-affiliated media” by Twitter, but after the organization protested that it was ridiculous to label them “state-affiliated,” the term was changed to “government-funded media.”
The Twitter website defines “state-affiliated media accounts” 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.”
In a statement, NPR claimed, “NPR is an independent news organization committed to informing the public about the world around us.”
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Elon Musk’s Statement
The CEO of Twitter, Elon Musk, put forward the question before the netizens, “What does BBC stand for again? I keep forgetting,” on April 10, 2023, as a response to the commotion regarding Twitter’s decision to label the BBC and NPR as “government-funded media.”
However, after the BBC raised objections to the “government-funded media” label imposed on them by Twitter, Elon Musk admitted that the broadcaster is “among the least biased” media groups but not an entirely independent organization.
Responding to the complaint, Musk wrote, “We are aiming for maximum transparency and accuracy. Linking to ownership and source of funds probably makes sense. I do think media organizations should be self-aware and not falsely claim the complete absence of bias. All organizations have bias, some obviously much more than others. I should note that I follow BBC news on Twitter, because I think it is among the least biased.”
He had also tweeted, “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.” He added, “Minor government influence in their case would be accurate.”
Let us know what you think of the situation in the comment section below.
Disclaimer: This article is fact-checked
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Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: The Hindu, The Economic Times & Hindustan Times
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