Elon Musk defined the BBC as “a number of the least biased” media organizations after Twitter mistakenly labelled the brand new corporation as “authorities-funded media”. The BBC contacted Twitter after the designation turned into connected to the main @BBC account- linking via to a web page on Twitter`s assist centre that defined “state-affiliated media” as shops wherein the authorities “sports manipulate over editorial content”.
“The BBC is, and usually has been, independent. We are funded via way of means of the British public via the licence fee,” the BBC stated in a statement. Since 1927, the BBC has been operated via a Royal Charter agreed with the United Kingdom authorities. As in keeping with the charter, BBC “need to be independent”, specially over “editorial and innovative decisions, the instances and way wherein its output and offerings are supplied, and withinside the control of its affairs”.
In reaction to the BBC`s complaint, Elon Musk asked, “Is the Twitter label accurate?”
In an e-mail to the BBC, Elon Musk wrote as in keeping with Guardian, “We are aiming for max transparency and accuracy. Linking to possession and supply of budget in all likelihood makes sense.”
“I do assume media organizations ought to be self-conscious and now no longer falsely declare the entire absence of bias. All organizations have bias, a few manifestly an awful lot greater than others. I ought to be aware that I comply with BBC information on Twitter, due to the fact I assume it’s far a number of the least biased.”
Earlier Twitter additionally distinct America`s National Public Radio (NPR) as “state-affiliated media”- however the description turned into later modified to the same “authorities funded media” tag as given to the BBC.