Twitter: Bbc Objects To 'Government Funded Media' Label

[Roobaba]

Twitter: BBC objects to 'government funded media' label - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65226481

The BBC is objecting to a new label describing it as "government funded media" on its main Twitter account.

The corporation has contacted the social media giant over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the issue "as soon as possible".

"The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee," it said.

Roobaba says "The BBC is, and always has been INDEPENDENT and UNBIASED."

[davebro]

But it IS government funded as its funding model is enforced by law.

[Old_Geezer]

The government decides what money to collect for licencing for the BBC budget and then passes it over, so it is publicly funded and the description isn't exactly wrong. So I don't know what the complaint is. If the BBC think they are that independent maybe they'd like to see how they fair if the licence fee gets scrapped.

[drmorgans]

The truth within the lie. Typical politicians.

[ichkeria]

It’s a typical misunderstanding - a bit like the NHS being “free” ;-)

The BBC is “government funded” to its detractors yet at the same time “funded out of my hard-earned cash when I refuse to watch it”

[Gromit]

It does seem a clumsy statement.

[ynnafymmi]

The desecration made by the BBC to the Dickens Great Expectations means the Beeb wont be getting any support from me,Ichy.I would stop paying my TV license fee,but....

[ichkeria]

The BBC World service gets money - certainly one grant from the FCO - otherwise the BBC’s operation abroad has been funded commercially

[davebro]

//The desecration made by the BBC to the Dickens Great Expectations means the Beeb wont be getting any support from me,Ichy.//

I haven't watched that - but Bleak House was excellent.

[ynnafymmi]

Yes,Bleak House was an excellent BBC production,dave.However the present day presentation of Great Expectations seems to be set in Jamaica or some other colonial part of the world.

[andy-hughes]

I would suggest that the BBC feels that the inference of a direct link with the government compromises its reputation for independence and impartiality.

[barry1010]

The government used to fund the free licences for the over 75s, that stopped a few years ago when the burden was put on to the BBC

[naomi24]

I would suggest the BBC is playing with words. It might not like the flavour of government, but government funded it is.

[Zacs-Master]

It's partly Govt funded. It's finances are all quite well detailed for those who care to look.

[drmorgans]

At this time of state intervention in media I would imagine that the BBC is worried that its reporters in China, Russia, Iran and so on could arrested and imprisoned as spies for asking questions and presenting reports their hosts don't like. Particularly is the BBC is viewed as the UK's state broadcaster.

[Zacs-Master]

'Total BBC income in 2021/22 was £5.33 billion, 71% of which came from the licence fee revenues. The remaining 29% or £1.53 billion came from commercial and other activities (such as grants, royalties and rental income)'

[sp1814]

The BBC is not government-funded. Parts of the World Service are, but in the main, the BBC doesn't get money from the public purse. It receives funding directly from the licence fee which are paid by the public.

If the BBC were funded through central taxation (where viewers paid money in tax to the government and *then* the government funded the BBC) that'd be different

It's right that the BBC make this distinction because it is respected worldwide for its independence and this label suggests it's an arm of the State, which it isn't.

[Zacs-Master]

The BBC receive grants from the government and in its own wording:
‘Grants from Government departments are recognised as income in the financial year that they relate to. Grants from other public bodies are recognised as income consistently with the related costs, provided that there is reasonable assurance that the BBC will comply with any conditions attached to the grant and that the grant will be received’

[sp1814]

ZM

Total BBC income in 2021/22 was £5.33 billion, 71% of which came from the licence fee revenues. The remaining 29% or £1.53 billion came from commercial and other activities (such as grants, royalties and rental income).

The government awarded the BBC World Service £20 million to support language services and English-language broadcasting, as part of the Integrated Review refresh.

There's also funding for the World Service, but it's inaccurate to say that the BBC is "government-funded".

[ichkeria]

Indeed so

[Zacs-Master]

£98m of grants is a big old chunk of cash in anyones language. But I agree, this does not make it a Govt mouthpiece as Twitter seems to be trying to categorise it as.