Several broadcasting companies around the world have recently left Twitter in opposition to the social media service’s new policies.
Billionaire Elon Musk’s Twitter, which it bought for itself last fall, has in recent weeks changed the markings on the Twitter accounts of several well-known broadcasting companies. The label tells about the media’s funding model and journalistic independence.
The first public broadcasters to leave Twitter were National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States last week.
Twitter had labeled NPR a “state-affiliated media outlet,” suggesting that NPR was not journalistically independent. The same marking has been used, for example, in connection with the state media of China and Russia.
Twitter later changed NPR’s tag to “government-funded media”. This marking indicates that the administration may influence the media’s editorial content to some extent. PBS was put on the same label.
NPR and PBS said the posts questioned their journalistic independence, so they left Twitter.
Canada’s public broadcaster CBC and its French-language version Radio-Canada followed suit on Monday and said they would temporarily suspend their use of Twitter when their accounts were also tagged as state-funded media.
On Monday, the Australian broadcasting company ABC also received an indication on Twitter that it was funded by the country’s administration. So far, the company has not left Twitter, but says it is discussing the matter with Twitter.
Earlier, the British broadcasting company BBC also received a similar indication of state funding. Later, the designation was changed to “publicly funded media”.
With this marking, Twitter does not imply that the state participates in the media’s editorial content. The BBC has not said it has any intention of leaving Twitter.
Swedish radio left a “changed” Twitter
In Sweden, publicly funded broadcasting company Sveriges Radio (SR) announced that you will stop (you will switch to another service) Twitter usage today Tuesday.
SR’s Twitter account was also marked as publicly funded media. According to SR, the entry was a correct description and was not the reason for the departure.
Instead, according to SR, the nature of Twitter has “simply changed” and is no longer an essential platform for the company.
– SR has been reducing its visibility on Twitter for a long time, and now it has decided to stop operating on the platform completely, the company commented.
Sweden’s second broadcasting company, SVT, is still active on Twitter. The tag on SVT’s Twitter account states that it is a publicly funded media.
is not planning to leave Twitter
Yleisradio’s customer and strategy director of Marit af Björkesten is currently not planning to leave Twitter.
However, the company’s management has been following the labeling discussion of the last few days closely.
– We have been following Twitter critically for a long time. We have followed the company’s development with a bit of concern, says af Björkesten.
Af Björkesten suggests that Twitter has become a more unpredictable platform under Musk’s leadership. For example, the company’s extensive staff reductions can affect how Twitter is able to control the operation of the platform, says af Björkesten.
Out of ‘s several Twitter accounts, by Tuesday evening, only ‘s English-language News account had been tagged. According to the label, is a publicly funded media.
According to Af Björkesten, the labeling is apt.
– It describes our financing model well. This kind of marking is not a problem for us.
According to Af Björkesten, would react quickly if Twitter placed a tag on that would question ‘s journalistic independence.
– In that case, there would be a place for quick reaction. Then we would quickly evaluate our line, says af Björkesten.
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The US public broadcaster announced that it was abandoning Twitter, the first of the major news media
Canadian broadcaster CBC also decided to leave Twitter
Sveriges Radio also abandons the use of Twitter