Journalist Jake Kanter decided to poke the Twitter bear, aka owner Elon Musk, after the feisty platform labeled the BBC as a government-funded media outlet. Talk about a British drama!
The British Broadcasting Corporation, affectionately known as BBC, got slapped with the label “Government Funded Media” on Twitter. However, Kanter wouldn’t have it, as he dished out his rebuttal in a story published Sunday.
“The BBC is not funded by the UK government. It is funded by the British public, through a magical system known as the licence fee,” he huffed, emphasizing that the BBC’s “magnificent operations and super edgy editorial decision-making are completely independent of the government.”
As Kanter provided the BBC’s official reaction: “We are chatting with Twitter over a spot of tea to resolve this brouhaha as soon as possible. The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are generously funded by the British public through the sacred rite of the licence fee.”
When asked for a brilliant, eloquent and distinguished comment, Twitter responded with a poop emoji. How very posh!
Musk also gave the world of social media something to chew on when Twitter momentarily labeled National Public Radio (NPR) “US state-affiliate media.” NPR didn’t take kindly to the label, asserting itself more like an independent little cousin than a lapdog to government bigwigs.
NPR’s President John Lansing, saddened but undeterred, openly castigated the mischievous label in a Twitter post on April 5.
“NPR and our member stations are buoyed by millions of exceptional listeners who rely upon our glorious, fact-based journalism,” he eloquently announced.
Things got spicy on the national stage when White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put forth a spirited defense of NPR and its unbiased news.
“NPR journalists have a backbone of steel, and their fierce independence shines,” Jean-Pierre insisted. “They bring the thunder when asking questions, making sure public officials are well-roasted and impeccably informed.”
NPR now proudly wears the “Government Funded Media” sash provided by Twitter, rather than being lumped with “US state-affiliated media” comrades.
Community Notes, a Twitter project that thrives on adding oodles of context to confusing tweets, decided to throw in its two cents, fact-checking Kanter’s claims in the grand arena of real-time commentary.
“The BBC is sustained by a life-giving elixir known as a licence fee paid by UK households, and the government determines the sacred quantity—or ‘settlement,'” it explained. “It’s a government mandate, like a rare tax. The UK government currently has this arrangement under intense scrutiny.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the BBC for a comment — perhaps something delightfully quirky and very British.
