(PM.) The Public Broadcasting Service has confirmed that it will no longer be using Twitter in response to Elon Musk‘s decision to label it “government-funded media.”
The move comes as other major media groups, such as National Public Radio, ditch the platform in protest over the labels, which they argue are inaccurate.
According to Axios, a PBS spokesperson revealed Thursday that the service “did stop tweeting … as soon as we discovered [the label],” adding that, “we have no plans to resume tweeting.”
The label has been placed on PBS’ main Twitter account, but not its local affiliates or individual shows, which will continue tweeting.
PBS begging on twitter over the years to have people support their federal funding. pic.twitter.com/WQUJndUwsj
— TexasLindsay™ (@TexasLindsay_) April 13, 2023
“Publicly funded PBS joins publicly funded NPR in leaving Twitter in a huff after being labeled ‘Publicly Funded’,” Twitter CEO Elon Musk joked.
Journalist Kate Lindsay pointed out that PBS has, on many occasions, posted about its federal funding.
Has PBS made a difference in your life? Let your voice be heard on federal funding for public media by visiting https://t.co/3cHUymKXLE #ILovePBS. pic.twitter.com/3hHDMTJ32u
— ValuePBS (@ValuePBS) February 11, 2020
On it’s @ValuePBS account, the public broadcaster shared nine reasons to love what they do, and a number of them centered around its funding.
“Public Broadcasting is one of America’s best investments,” it argued, pointing out that citizens, on average, pay around $1.40 per year to fund the service, which was rated “excellent or good taxpayer value” by seven out of ten voters.
