By Canadian Press

CBC should exit Twitter over ‘government-funded media’ label: public policy expert

Apr 17, 2023 | 10:19 AM

TORONTO — At least one public policy expert says CBC should leave Twitter after the social media giant labelled its main account as “government-funded media.”

Vass Bednar says unless the label issued Sunday changes as quickly as it was applied, the public broadcaster should find other ways to stay connected with Canadians.

The executive director of the Master of Public Policy in Digital Society at McMaster University says an exit from Twitter would be an opportunity for CBC to refresh the public’s understanding of how its funded and maintain editorial independence.

Twitter’s policies say governments have varying degrees of editorial involvement with accounts labelled as government-funded, but a Sunday statement from CBC media relations director Leon Mar says CBC does not meet those criteria.

CBC is publicly funded through a parliamentary appropriation that is voted upon by all MPs, and its editorial independence is protected in law in the Broadcasting Act.

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CBC has not tweeted from its main account since the new label was applied, which Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre started pushing for last week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2023.

The Canadian Press