Twitter, which is owned by Elon Musk, has labeled the BBC as “government-funded media” on the microblogging site, prompting a strong response from the British public broadcaster on Monday.
The taxpayer-funded and license-fee-supported British media organization said it has reached out to the social media behemoth to resolve the issue “as soon as feasible”
“The BBC has always been an independent organization. We are funded by the British public through the license fee, according to the BBC.
According to an email exchange with Twitter CEO Elon Musk, he is contemplating implementing a label that would link all media organizations to their “precise funding sources.”
“We aim for precision and openness.” Musk emails BBC that linking ownership and funding makes sense.
“I do believe that media outlets should be self-aware and not erroneously claim the absence of all bias. Every organization has a bias, though some more than others. I should note that I monitor BBC News on Twitter, as I believe it to be among the least biased news sources,” the tweet stated.
Individual UK households pay the GBP 159 annual licence charge required by law to view live TV broadcasts or live streaming in the United Kingdom.
While the @BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the designation, much larger accounts associated with the BBC’s news and sports output are not being described in the same manner, according to the BBC.
According to the London-based media company, the @BBC Twitter account predominantly posts updates about BBC-produced television and radio programs, podcasts, and other non-news content.
According to the BBC Charter, the organization “must be independent” in regards to “editorial and creative decisions, the timing and manner in which its output and services are provided, and the management of its affairs.”
The BBC stated that it receives more than 90 million GBP annually from the government to support the BBC World Service, which primarily serves audiences outside the United Kingdom.
Twitter’s new labeling of the BBC account follows the labeling of the NPR account.
