ABC’s Exit from Twitter: Australia’s National Broadcaster Takes Action on Elon Musk’s X
ABC is shutting down nearly all of its official accounts on Twitter, now known as X and owned by Elon Musk, citing “toxic interactions,” cost, and better interaction with ABC content on other social media platforms.
According to the broadcaster, Twitter, which has been rebranded as X under new CEO Elon Musk, has become ineffective and costly.
David Anderson released a statement on Wednesday explaining why the News Breakfast, Insiders, and ABC Politics accounts have been archived in recent months.
Since Musk purchased the platform for $44 billion in October 2022, according to Mr. Anderson, safety measures have been reduced, and the site has become toxic.
“Starting today, other ABC accounts will be discontinued,” the ABC managing director, David Anderson, has told staff.
Only four official accounts will remain for Australia’s public broadcaster: @abcnews, @abcsport, @abcchinese, and the master @abcaustralia account.
Anderson claims that the closure of the Insiders, News Breakfast, and ABC Politics accounts earlier this year reduced the amount of toxic interactions that had become more prevalent under Musk, making engagement with the shows more positive.
“We also found that closing individual programme accounts helps limit the exposure of team members to the toxic interactions that, unfortunately, are becoming more prevalent on X,” Anderson said.
The ABC has closed its @abcemergency X Twitter account and directed users seeking emergency information to their local radio station and the ABC website.
The @Q+A account has also been archived, closing a lengthy partnership between the talk show and the platform.
Farewell to ABC’s Rosy Twitter Alliance
ABC is the third major public service broadcaster to leave Twitter after NPR and PBS did so in April. They left Twitter after Musk referred to them as “state media.”
The ABC and SBS were also labelled “government-funded media” in April.
Now, the vast majority of ABC’s social media audience is located on official sites on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. TikTok is forecast to have the strongest growth over the next four years,’ Mr. Anderson said.
‘We want to focus our effort and resources on where our audiences are.’
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Source: The Guardian, Daily Mail
