On his network, Elon Musk assured that this new definition seemed to him “fair”, a few days after having compared the content of the “New York Times” to “propaganda, not even interesting”.
Public American radio NPR protested on Wednesday against the mention of “media affiliated with the American state” that Elon Musk’s social network Twitter now attaches to it, which had deleted its daily certification a few days earlier. New York Times.
The official “@NPR” account is now labeled on the “media affiliated with the American state” platform, in the same way as the accounts of RT or Sputnik for Russia. An “unacceptable” mention for the CEO of the NPR (National Public Radio), John Lansing.
Editorial independence
“NPR and the member stations (of its network) are supported by millions of listeners who depend on us for the independent, fact-based journalism we provide. NPR champions freedom of expression and holds the powerful to account. “, he adds.
According to the French version of Twitter’s “Help Center”, “media affiliated with a state is defined as media whose editorial content is controlled by that state through financial resources, direct political pressure or indirect and/or control over production and distribution”.
“This is definitely not the case with NPR, which steadfastly maintains its editorial independence,” said Liz Woolery, digital policy manager for free speech organization PEN America.
She called on Twitter to back down from the change, a “gift to misinformation purveyors and authoritarian regimes around the world.”
Founded in 1970 and very well known in the United States, the NPR is mainly financed by advertising and sponsorship, as well as by the participation of the radio stations that are members of its network. It ensures that less than 1% of its operational budget comes from federal sources.
Affected by the drop in advertising revenue, she announced at the end of February that she would have to cut 10% of her posts, or around a hundred, the latest episode in a series of layoffs in the American media in 2022 and 2023.
