Topline
PBS followed NPR’s lead and left Twitter Wednesday after the social media platform labeled the news organization “government-funded news,” a designation typically reserved for state run and approved media outlets.
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) logo is displayed on a smartphone screen.
Key Facts
The news organization stopped tweeting from its account after it learned of the new label, PBS spokesman Jason Phelps told Bloomberg, adding that PBS has no plans to resume tweeting at this time.
PBS last tweeted from its main Twitter handle on April 8.
The designation was only added to PBS’ main Twitter handle, not any of its affiliated accounts, including local PBS stations.
15% of PBS’ revenue comes from federal funding.
Key Background
This is the latest update in the ongoing saga between Elon Musk’s Twitter and news organizations that receive public funding. Last week, Twitter labeled NPR “state-affiliated media,” a label Twitter defined to to be used if “the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution.” NPR CEO John Lansing pushed back and called the move “unacceptable.” A few days later Twitter changed NPR’s designation again, labeling the news organization “government-funded media.” While NPR does receive federal funding, it makes up less than 1 percent of NPR’s annual budget. These Twitter label changes led NPR to quit the social media platform on Wednesday.
Further Reading
Musk Escalates NPR Attacks: Calls For Federal Defunding NPR (Forbes)
NPR Leaves Twitter After Musk Slaps It With ‘State-Affiliated Media’ Label (Forbes)
Twitter Changes Label On NPR Account From ‘State-Affiliated’ To ‘Government Funded’ (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/04/13/pbs-follows-nprs-lead-quits-twitter/