BBC objects as Twitter labels it, ‘government funded media

The British Broadcasting Corporation has objected to be labelled as a 'government funded media' on one of its Twitter accounts. The account which has 2.2 million followers shares on its accounts, BBC's television programmes, radio shows and podcasts among others.

The label links a page on Twitter's help website which says 'state-affiliated media accounts are outlets where the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution.'

BBC said that it is speaking with Twitter about the label to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Other accounts of the BBC including BBC News (World) and BBC Breaking News have not been labelled the same way.

"We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee,"BBC said in a statement.

The BBC since 1927 has been operated through a Royal Charter agreed with the UK government. It says that the corporation 'must be independent' over 'editorial' and creative decisions, "We are speaking to Twitter to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee.'

BBC has also put itself at odds with labelling US' National Public Radio. The social media firm said that the US public broadcasters a 'state affiliated media,' a label also used for Russia's RT and China's Xinhua News. The same was later on changed to 'government funded media.'