Among least biased: Elon Musk after Twitter tags BBC as ‘authorities funded media’

Elon Musk has described the BBC as ‘among the many many least biased’ media organisations after the broadcaster objected to being labelled as “government-funded media” on Twitter.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 11, 2023 09:13 IST

Elon Musk departs the Phillip Burton Federal Building and United States Court House in San Francisco (Photo: AP/File)

By India Today World Desk: A day after Twitter CEO Elon Musk labelled the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a ‘authorities funded media’ on the microblogging platform, the BBC contacted Twitter. Musk’s switch has triggered a sharp response from the BBC.

The label hyperlinks by to an online web page on Twitter’s help centre that claims “state-affiliated media” are retailers the place the federal authorities “exercises control over editorial content” in quite a few strategies.

Responding to the BBC’s grievance, Musk requested, “Is the Twitter label accurate?”

BBC AMONG THE LEAST BIASED, SAYS MUSK

“We are aiming for maximum transparency and accuracy. Linking to ownership and source of funds probably makes sense,” Musk’s e-mail to BBC reads.

“I do think media organisations should be self-aware and not falsely claim the complete absence of bias. All organisations 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,” it said.

ALSO READ | Elon Musk’s Twitter dubs BBC as ‘government-funded media’, broadcaster objects

BBC’s RESPONSE TO GOVT-FUNDED MEDIA TAG

The broadcaster said it was speaking to Twitter about the designation. The BBC is objecting to a new label describing it as “government funded media” on its main Twitter account. It has contacted Twitter over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the issue “as soon as possible”.

“The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee,” the BBC assertion talked about.

The BBC Charter states the corporate “needs to be unbiased”, particularly over “editorial and creative choices, the cases and methodology throughout which its output and suppliers are outfitted, and inside the administration of its affairs”.

ALSO READ | Twitter account of BBC Punjabi News withheld in India

Britons pay a ã159 licence worth yearly to fund the corporate’s output. The worth is prepared by the federal authorities nevertheless paid by specific individual households, The Guardian talked about in a report.

Twitter’s new labelling of the BBC’s account comes after it did the similar to US public broadcaster National Public Radio (NPR’s) take care of.

(With firm inputs)

Published On:

Apr 11, 2023