Calls grow for Twitter labels to be applied to Australian and NZ media outlets

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• By Avi Yemini

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Elon Musk has said Twitter will mark the BBC account as “publicly funded” and there are now calls for similar labels to be applied to Australian and New Zealand outlets supported by government funds.

Twitter had originally labelled the BBC account as being “government funded” but Musk agreed in an interview this week with a BBC journalist to change the description.

Musk used the same Twitter descriptor for National Public Radio in America.

Do you think @elonmusk should hit @abcnews, @SBSNews, @nzherald, @NZStuff and all the other Aussie and NZ outlets with the same “Government Funded” label he's given @NPR?

Only 1-2% of NPR’s funding is from the federal government.

My list gets a lot more taxpayer dollars.

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) April 9, 2023

The BBC objected to the original label, saying earlier this week: "The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee."

Musk told journalists: "I know the BBC for example's not thrilled about being labelled state-affiliated media."

"If we use the same words that the BBC uses to describe itself (publicly funded) that presumably would be okay. That seems to pass a reasonable test."

Hey @elonmusk @ABCaustralia next please

Thanks https://t.co/ULoF2X927k

— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) April 9, 2023

Former NBA basketballer Andrew Bogut - writing before Musk agreed to change the label from “Government Funded” to “Publicly Funded” - joined Rebel News’ Avi Yemini in calling for the same label to be applied to the ABC.