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Twitter has labelled the non-profit media organisation NPR as “US state-affiliated media” in the latest escalation of tensions between its billionaire owner Elon Musk and news outlets.
The label now appears on the public broadcaster’s Twitter profile and its tweets, and the designation means that NPR’s posts won’t be recommended or amplified on the platform.
Twitter has defined state-affiliated media as news outlets where the government “exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures and/or control over production and distribution”. The designation was reserved for outlets like Russia’s state-backed international broadcaster RT.
Previous versions of Twitter’s policy website made exceptions for the BBC and NPR, which the company called “state-financed media organisations with editorial independence”. But a new version of the website only makes an exception for the BBC.
In a statement, NPR President John Lansing said “we were disturbed” by the designation “and it is unacceptable for Twitter to label us this way. NPR and our member stations are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide”.
An NPR spokesperson said the organisation has reached out to Twitter to have the label removed.
NPR’s two largest sources of revenue are corporate sponsorships and fees paid by NPR member organisations, according to the company. On average, less than 1% of NPR’s annual operating budget comes in the form of grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and federal agencies and departments.
Musk has used his role as Twitter’s owner to agitate news organisations he doesn’t like. He has banned journalists from the platform. And in recent days, the main account for the New York Times lost its Twitter verified badge after attracting the ire of Musk over its refusal to pay for the privilege.
Twitter has disbanded its press team and doesn’t respond to media requests for comment. But Musk weighed in, responding to a post of Twitter’s rules, saying “seems accurate”.
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