Musk admits BBC ‘among least biased’ in row over Twitter ‘government-funded media’ tag
The Guardian says Elon Musk has described the BBC as “among the least biased” media organisations after the broadcaster objected to being labelled as “government-funded media” on Twitter.
The BBC contacted Twitter after the designation was attached to the main @BBC account. The label links through to a page on Twitter’s help centre that says “state-affiliated media” are outlets where the government “exercises control over editorial content” in various ways.
The BBC added in its statement: “The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee.”
Since 1927, the BBC has operated through a Royal Charter agreed with the government that states 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”.