Twitter flagged NPR as state-affiliated media on Tuesday, a label that's normally saved for media shops representing overseas governments like Russia’s RT and China’s Xinhua.

The resolution to tag the corporate as state-affiliated media is a transparent change in Twitter coverage. Users identified that, earlier than Tuesday, Twitter’s personal coverage stated NPR particularly was not state-affiliated media.  

“Accounts belonging to state-affiliated media entities, their editors-in-chief, and/or their prominent staff may be labeled. State-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK or NPR in the US for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy,” the coverage learn. 

The present coverage nonetheless mentions the BBC however not NPR. 

Several NPR staff lashed out at Twitter CEO Elon Musk after the change was observed. Former NPR worker Ashley Westerman stated the tag was “wholly inaccurate,” and identified that the corporate receives comparatively little funding from the U.S. authorities. 

Labeling @NPR state-affiliated media is wholly inaccurate and untruthful. NPR will get LESS THAN 2% of its funding from grants via the federal authorities. NPR’s newsroom is a completely free and impartial newsroom; all the time has been. This label is a LIE and an insult. pic.twitter.com/2iS04hMeQ1

— Ashley Westerman (Valdez) (@_aswesterman) April 5, 2023

Mr. Musk, responding to right-wing commentator Benny Johnson, affirmed his approval of the choice early Wednesday morning. He posted a partial screenshot of the present Twitter coverage relating to state media with the remark “seems accurate”. 

Seems correct pic.twitter.com/nx5TmJY7GX

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 5, 2023

NPR’s President and CEO John Lansing responded with confusion in response to the change.    

“We were disturbed to see last night that Twitter has labeled NPR as ‘state-affiliated media,’ a description that, per Twitter’s own guidelines, does not apply to NPR. NPR and our Member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide,” the assertion reads. 

Since buying the platform late final yr, Mr. Musk has changed the previously free verification badges with a subscription mannequin. The service prices the person U.S. consumer $8-11 per 30 days, however organizations like NPR should pay a $1000 month-to-month price on high of $50 for every affiliated account. Paying for the service offers accounts a verification badge, sq. avatars and different options. 

The hefty improve in worth led some celebrities and information organizations, most notably the New York Times, to announce that they won't buy account verification. 

“We aren’t planning to pay the monthly fee for check mark status for our institutional Twitter accounts. We also will not reimburse reporters for Twitter Blue for personal accounts, except in rare instances where this status would be essential for reporting purposes,” the New York Times stated in an announcement on Sunday.

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com