One day after Twitter labeled National Public Radio (NPR) a "US state-affiliated media" outlet on the social media platform, NPR President John Lansing fired back, writing that he was disturbed by the designation.
"We were disturbed to see last night that Twitter has labeled NPR as ‘state-affiliated media,’ a description that, per Twitter’s own guidelines, does not apply to NPR. NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide.
Lansing also contended that NPR is a critical part of American democracy in his statement, issued just hours after Musk acknowledged NPR's new designation on Twitter.
"It is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way," Lansing wrote. "A vigorous, vibrant free press is essential to the health of our democracy."
NPR LABELED 'STATE-AFFILIATED MEDIA' ON TWITTER, SAME AS RUSSIA'S RT AND CHINA'S XINHUA
Musk himself endorsed the policy and the label of Musk on Twitter Wednesday. "Seems accurate," he wrote, referring to NPR's new title. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto, CARINA JOHANSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images (Photo illustration))
The title "state-affiliated media" has traditionally applied to state-run media outlets in foreign autocracies, like Russia's RT and China's Xinhua.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk shared the company’s guidance on state-affiliated media Wednesday.
"State-affiliated media is 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," the Twitter policy read.
Musk himself endorsed the policy and NPR's new label on Twitter Wednesday. "Seems accurate," he wrote, referring to NPR's new title.
NPR REPORT ACKNOWLEDGES LIBERAL RADIO GIANT ‘STRUGGLES TO RETAIN HIGH-PROFILE JOURNALISTS OF COLOR’
NPR Headquarters (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
But some commentators called attention to another part of Twitter's policy on state-affiliated media organizations.
Twitter's Help Center currently states that "[s]tate-financed media organizations with editorial independence, like the BBC in the UK for example, are not defined as state-affiliated media for the purposes of this policy."
NPR correspondent David Gura claimed that Twitter's policy was altered to remove any mention of NPR.
"Twitter labeled NPR ‘state-affiliated media,’ even though the company’s own policy stated the organization shouldn’t be labeled as such because it has editorial independence (left). Hours later, Twitter removed the reference to NPR in the policy."
Twitter responded with a poop emoji when asked for comment by Fox News Digital.