NPR rejects Twitter’s decision to label the network a “state-affiliated media” and calls the Elon Musk platform’s move “unacceptable.”
John Lansing, president and CEO of NPR, said in a statement: “We were upset to learn last night that Twitter had referred to NPR as ‘government-affiliated media,’ a description that Twitter’s own policy does not apply to NPR from application is not. NPR and our affiliate stations are supported by millions of listeners who rely on our independent, fact-based journalism.”
When Twitter flags such accounts, it does not amplify or recommend them, potentially affecting online traffic.
He added: “NPR stands for freedom of speech and holding those in power accountable. It is unacceptable for Twitter to call us that. A strong free press is essential to the health of our democracy.”
Twitter’s own policy states that the “state-affiliated media” label “represents outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial means, direct or indirect political pressure, and/or control over production and distribution.”
NPR is an independent, nonprofit news organization that receives some state funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but says less than 1% of its operating budget comes from federal sources. The affiliate stations that pay programming fees to NPR receive CPB grants, as well as listener fees, corporate sponsorships and foundation grants.
In contrast, Voice of America, which is funded by the US government through the US Agency for Global Media, does not have the label. It also has editorial independence through a 1994 law that prohibits interference by government officials in editorial decisions.
NPR appears to fall into a category of news organizations defined by Twitter’s policies. “State-funded media organizations with editorial independence, such as the BBC in the UK, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy,” the policy states. conditions. The policy previously cited NPR as an example of those outlets not defined as “state-affiliated media” but removed the network’s name.
Musk also removed the blue checks from some news outlets that refused to pay for a new subscription verification service, such as the New York Times. He responded to the NPR label in a tweet on Tuesday, writing, “Looks right.”
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
