BBC contests Twitter's 'government funded media' label

(image credit: bbc.com)

The BBC has objected to a label describing it as "government funded media" on its main Twitter account, stating that it is and always has been independent, funded by the British public through the license fee. The corporation has contacted Twitter to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Elon Musk, who believes the BBC is one of the "least biased" outlets, questioned the accuracy of the Twitter label, suggesting he was considering providing a label that would link to exact funding sources, and further clarified that media organizations should be self-aware and not falsely claim the complete absence of bias.

The new labeling of the @BBC account as "government funded media" by Twitter comes after it did the same to US public broadcaster NPR's handle, which had said it would stop tweeting from the account unless the label was amended. While the @BBC account has been given the label, much larger accounts associated with the BBC's news and sport output are not currently being described in the same way. As the UK's national broadcaster, the BBC operates through a Royal Charter agreed with the government, stating the corporation must be independent, particularly over editorial and creative decisions, the times and manner in which its output and services are supplied, and in the management of its affairs.

The level of the £159 ($197) annual license fee required by law to watch live TV broadcasts or live streaming in the UK is set by the government but paid for by individual UK households. The license fee raised £3.8bn ($4.7bn) in 2022 for the BBC, accounting for about 71% of the BBC's total income of £5.3bn, with the rest coming from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties, and rental income. The BBC also receives more than £90m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences. The national broadcaster's output is also paid for through the work of commercial subsidiaries like BBC Studios, as well as through advertising on services offered to audiences outside of the UK.

Twitter's new labeling of the BBC's account links through to a page on its help website which says state-affiliated media accounts are defined as outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution. Collection of the license fee and enforcement of non-payment is carried out by private companies contracted by the corporation, not the UK government. TV license evasion itself is not an imprisonable offence. However, non-payment of a fine, following a criminal conviction, could lead to a risk of imprisonment - a last resort after other methods of enforcement have failed.

In summary, the BBC has raised objections to Twitter's labeling of it as "government funded media" on its main Twitter account. The broadcaster has always maintained its independence and is funded by the British public through the license fee. While the corporation has contacted Twitter to resolve the issue, Twitter has previously applied a similar label to US public broadcaster NPR's handle. The labeling has sparked debates around the independence of media organizations and transparency in funding sources.