Last week, Twitter slapped a “state-affiliated media” label (and later a “government-funded media” label) on NPR’s Twitter page, and it was perfect. Not just because it was accurate, but also because it pissed off NPR. And we’re always here for that.
Well, fast-forward to today, and NPR is so pissed off that they’ve decided to take their ball and go home. Or at least leave Twitter:
NPR will no longer post fresh content to its 52 official Twitter feeds, citing the social media platform's decision to label NPR "state-affiliated media," the same term it uses for propaganda outlets in Russia, China and other autocratic countries.https://t.co/NaPtopLiXr
— stephen fowler (@stphnfwlr) April 12, 2023
Twitter then revised its label on NPR’s account to “government-funded media.” The news organization says that is inaccurate and misleading, given that NPR is a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence. It receives less than 1 percent of its $300 million annual budget from the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Yet by going silent on Twitter, NPR’s chief executive says the network is protecting its credibility and its ability to produce journalism without “a shadow of negativity.”
…
Even if Twitter were to drop the designation altogether, Lansing says the network will not immediately return to the platform.
“At this point I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter,” he says. “I would need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again.” Lansing says individual NPR journalists and staffers can decide for themselves whether to continue using Twitter.
In an email to staff explaining the decision, Lansing wrote, “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.”
Recommended
NPR has editorial independence or standards? Since when?
In a statement, NPR says its 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.” pic.twitter.com/iubg7PUCuy
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) April 12, 2023
Well, NPR is not editorially independent, so … we’re not seeing the issue here.
“Taking actions” …all Twitter did was put a “government-funded media” label on your account bc you’re government-funded https://t.co/554n7He3Jn
— Maggie Howell (@Mar__G_3) April 12, 2023
Truth hurts, NPR.
NPR is mad that @ElonMusk and @Twitter have labeled them accurately.
Best of all in this, I think this shows we can #DefundNPR seeing as how NPR insists they're "independent" and the need for our tax dollars is infinitesimal. https://t.co/q6g5I5lYLq
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 12, 2023
If NPR doesn’t want to be labeled as government-funded media, then they can just stop accepting government (i.e. taxpayer) funding. Seems pretty simple.
Or, you know, they could just keep lying about who they are:
— NPR (@NPR) April 12, 2023
Can we get a community note going on this? Consequential Independent Journalism is verifiably false. https://t.co/Ei4yks037g
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) April 12, 2023
That first sentence in NPR’s tweet contains multiple lies. “Consequential”? Nope, not really. “Independent”? Not even remotely. “In service to the public”? Puh-leeeze.
No one undermines @NPR more than NPR itself.
Blaming @elonmusk is easier than engaging in even a tiny bit of introspection about why people don’t trust them. https://t.co/61yhOsbFa7
— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) April 12, 2023
How does NPR's credibility hinge on Elon's opinion of them?
— PhotographicFloridian (@JackLinFLL) April 12, 2023
It doesn’t. Which just goes to show you how weak — or, rather, nonexistent — NPR’s credibility actually is.
As does this:
Still using TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese government https://t.co/620DItaeKW
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 12, 2023
NPR is leaving Twitter but totally fine with the CCP, which just so happens to be a huge fan of … state-affiliated media. How ‘about that?
Aw…sad.
FYI: they are still using CCP affiliated Tik Tok. So an organization that censors, etc is fine for @NPR. https://t.co/sZbH63vXIq
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 12, 2023
NPR: “We are not putting our journalism on platforms that have demonstrated an interest in undermining our credibility…”
NPR: please follow us on our TikTok which is Communist Chinese spyware
Absolutely insane https://t.co/PhOPs8bYJP
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) April 12, 2023
Absolutely insane, and also absolutely shameful:
People and organizations on left and right that are so consumed by American polarization that they think fellow Americans are worse to associate with than the Communist government that set up concentration camps, that's a bad sign.
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 12, 2023
Exactly. This is like @NPR choosing some Nazi or Soviet propaganda outfit instead of an American one.
This is a state that literally has concentration camps functioning…right now. This second. https://t.co/CG5aYU61hj
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 12, 2023
Twitter doesn’t deserve the privilege of being a home for NPR’s credibility, but TikTok does? Yeah, we’re done here.
You can't escape the fact that the CCP is a major force behind TikTok.
Once you determine that Twitter is attacking your credibility, how do you remain on Tik Tok?
You can't, if you are intellectually honest.
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 12, 2023
And conveniently, NPR is not intellectually honest. Not about journalism, and not about themselves.
Nobody undermines @NPR's credibility more than @NPR. https://t.co/18kYctUoFZ
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 12, 2023
***
Related:
NPR CEO’s statement on Twitter ‘state-affiliated media’ label only further solidifies NPR’s hackery
Looks like NPR’s getting passive-aggressive after Twitter labeled them ‘state-affiliated media’
***
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Twitchy’s conservative reporting taking on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth. Join Twitchy VIP and use the promo code SAVEAMERICA to get 40% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member