Elon Musk Warns to Reassign NPR Twitter Account to Another Company

By Mary Webber First Posted: May 02, 2023 11:23 PM EDT

Elon Musk has issued a threat to NPR, saying that it would reassign the NPR Twitter account to "another company."

Musk sent an email to NPR, saying he would transfer NPR's main Twitter account, which has a handle @NPR, to another organization or person.

Emily Bell, a professor at Columbia Journalism School, noted in an NPR report that it could imply that more media organizations and other brands could retreat from Twitter, seeing that it does not seem "worth the risk."

Bell went on to say that Musk's recent warning is "an extraordinary threat to make."

Musk asked the media organization if they would be posting on Twitter again or should he "reassign @NPR to another company?" in an unprompted email.

The Twitter CEO wrote in another email that their policy is to "recycle handles that are definitively dormant." He added that the same policy is imposed on all accounts, noting "no special treatment for NPR."

One former Twitter executive was reportedly shocked by the remark, telling NPR that such a threat should be alarming to accounts operating on Twitter.

NPR on Twitter

In April, NPR announced it will be halting its postings on Twitter after its conflict with the social media company and CEO Elon Musk.

The media organization noted in a statement that NPR's organizational account will no longer be active on Twitter due to the platform "taking actions that undermine" their credibility through the implication that they are not editorially independent after it was labeled "state-affiliated media."

The label is considered "unacceptable," according to NPR CEO John Lansing.

The social media platform then updated it to "government-funded media" label, as reported by CNN.

The media outlet noted in a final series of tweets that other places its work can be found include its app and newsletters, and other social media platforms.

Meanwhile, Musk continued to accuse the outlet of being "hypocritical" in its explanations of how it was funded.

It was not only NPR that decided to quit its Twitter postings. U.S. television broadcaster PBS followed NPR's move after receiving the same label.

PBS noted that the label "leaves the inaccurate impression" that the news media is wholly funded by the federal government.

It is currently funded by the public and other philanthropic groups, with some coming from groups affiliated with the government.

Twitter Under Elon Musk

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey spoke about his view on Musk's leadership of Twitter while also speaking with users of Bluesky, which is a Twitter alternative.

He was asked if he thought Musk was the best leader for the platform, to which he answered, "No."

He added that he does not think Musk acted right after realizing his timing of the purchase "was bad," according to Fox Business. Dorsey said that the acquisition of Twitter "all went south."

A year ago, Dorsey had a different opinion, even saying in a tweet that Musk is the "singular solution" he trusts regarding Twitter.

In April, Musk said owning Twitter can sometimes be "painful."

WLKY cited that Musk noted in a BBC News interview that he has laid off more than 6,000 people at Twitter since his acquisition of the company.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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