NPR Abandons Twitter After Being Labeled 'Government-Funded Media,' Defends 'Editorial Independence'
In a statement, NPR accused Twitter of "taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent"
NPR is parting ways with Twitter.
The public radio network announced on its website that it will no longer post new content on the social media platform after Twitter categorized it as "state-affiliated media". It noted that the term is also used for "propaganda outlets" in countries like Russia and China.
NPR says in a statement shared with PEOPLE that its "organizational accounts will no longer be active on Twitter because the platform is taking actions that undermine our credibility by falsely implying that we are not editorially independent."
It adds, "We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility and the public's understanding of our editorial independence. We are turning away from Twitter but not from our audiences and communities. There are plenty of ways to stay connected and keep up with NPR's news, music, and cultural content."
The longtime news organization said in its digital statement that it was blindsided when Twitter made the change last week, and that NPR's tech reporter Bobby Allyn asked about it.
In response, "Twitter owner Elon Musk asked how NPR functioned. Musk allowed that he might have gotten it wrong," NPR added online.
After that, Twitter changed NPR's label to "government-funded media," which NPR is still unhappy with. It explained that the term "is inaccurate and misleading, given that NPR is a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence."
PEOPLE reached out for comment through Twitter's press line and received its automated response of a poop emoji.
NPR said that of its $300 million yearly budget, less than 1 percent comes from Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is federally funded.
Its CEO, John Lansing, added that refusing to post anymore tweets is an attempt to make sure NPR keeps its reputation of reliability and publishes news "without a shadow of negativity."
Added Lansing: "The downside, whatever the downside, doesn't change that fact. I would never have our content go anywhere that would risk our credibility."
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Though Musk told BBC that Twitter is looking at changing the term to "publicly funded," NPR said, "His words did not sway NPR's decision makers."
"At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter," Lansing said. "I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again."
NPR is giving the platform a "two-week grace period" to "revise their social-media strategies," it said on its website.
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Lansing also said in an emailed memo to NPR workers, "It would be a disservice to the serious work you all do here to continue to share it on a platform that is associating the federal charter for public media with an abandoning of editorial independence or standards," per its website.
NPR's latest Twitter posts points readers to its other social media platforms and website.
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