Twitter labelled NPR, BBC,VoA & PBS are Govt funded media

A new tension has erupted between Twitter owner Elon Musk and some leading media houses. Its latest twitter labelled NPR, BBC, Voice of America and PBS as “Government Funded Media”

NEW Twitter has now labelled NPR, BBC, Voice of America and PBS as “Government Funded Media” pic.twitter.com/6FxASrtl6K

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) April 9, 2023

The BBC is objecting to a new label describing it as "government funded media" on one of its main Twitter accounts. The corporation says it is speaking to the social media company about the designation on the @BBC account to "resolve this issue as soon as possible". In a statement, it said: "The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee."Twitter has been contacted for comment. Elon Musk said that it is silly of the BBC to claim zero influence. Minor government influence in their case would be accurate.

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.

Minor government influence in their case would be accurate.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2023

Since 1927, the BBC has operated through a Royal Charter agreed with the UK government which says that the corporation “must be independent” over “editorial and creative decisions, the times and manner in which its output and services are supplied, and in the management of its affairs”.BBC also put itself at odds with labelling of US’ National Public Radio (NPR). The social media company called the US public broadcaster as “state-affiliated media”, a label also used for Russia’s RT and China’s Xinhua News. It was later changed to the “government-funded media”.