NPR quits Twitter amid dispute over 'government-funded' label

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Apr 2023 08:51

The US-funded media organization announced that it will shut down its official Twitter accounts.

Elon Musk's Twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo in this photo illustration taken. (Reuters)

Following a clash with Twitter over the controversial new "state-affiliated media" label attached to its accounts, NPR announced on Wednesday that it is halting its use of the social media platform.

“NPR’s organizational accounts will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

“We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public’s understanding of our editorial independence,” it added.

NPR, which receives millions in government financing every year, and whose member stations typically depend heavily on taxpayer support, lashed out angrily at Twitter this week after the social media platform branded the outlet as "US state-affiliated media."

Twitter later changed the label to the friendlier-sounding "government-funded" label, but it seems that wasn't enough.

Commenting on NPR’s announcement, Elon Musk accused it of being “hypocritical” in its description of how it’s funded.

NPR literally said “Federal funding is essential to public radio” on their own website (now taken down).

What hypocrites! pic.twitter.com/kYAXW0zpyl
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023

Last week, Twitter lifted the restrictions imposed on accounts linked to the Russian government after having implemented them in April in light of the Ukraine war and as part of the Western strategy of isolating Russia.

Twitter said last year that it would "not amplify or recommend government accounts belonging to states that limit access to free information and are engaged in armed interstate conflict" effective immediately.

The company explained that this would translate as follows: the Twitter accounts of Russian government organizations and officials would not be recommended in searches, timelines, and other parts of the platform.