So, Twitter has been causing quite the ruckus lately with its new “government-funded media” label. First, they went after NPR, calling them “state-affiliated media.” I mean, come on Twitter, that’s like calling a cat a dog. Let’s get our facts straight here.
Then they went after the CBC, which received the same label because apparently, they receive 70% of their income from the government. But hold up Twitter, just because someone is funded by the government doesn’t mean they’re the government’s puppet. I mean, have you heard of Canada’s Broadcasting Act? It actually protects the CBC’s freedom to say whatever the heck they want.
The CBC was not too happy with Twitter’s labeling and took to Twitter (how ironic) to voice their frustrations. They claim their journalism is impartial and independent, and to suggest otherwise is just plain untrue. I guess Twitter didn’t get the memo on that one.
But never fear, dear readers, Elon Musk is here to save the day. After the CBC complained, Twitter corrected the label to read “69% Government-funded.” Thank you, Elon, for gracing us with your presence and fixing Twitter’s faux pas.
NPR and the Public Broadcasting Service also received the same label, and they were not happy about it. NPR even said that the label is misleading because they receive most of their funding from corporate sponsorships and fees, not the government. And even if they were government-funded, which they’re not, they still value their independence. Can you blame them?
The BBC and Australian outlets ABC and SBS were also hit with the label. The BBC was eventually re-tagged as “publicly-funded media,” which is more accurate since they receive funding from a variety of sources. ABC and SBS also disputed the label, saying they are publicly funded and not beholden to any political or commercial interests.
So there you have it, folks. Twitter’s labeling of “government-funded media” may have caused some headaches, but at least we got some laughs out of it. And if all else fails, just remember what NPR’s chief executive John Lansing said: “all journalism has revenue of some sort.” Truer words have never been spoken.
Serious News: washingtonpost
