PBS voices concern over YouTube's plans to label its videos

The Hollywood Reporter

As part of a new effort to crack down on propaganda, YouTube says it plans to label videos from broadcasters who receive funding from government entities, including Russia's RT, the BBC and PBS. The state-sponsored label will appear below the video and above its title, with a link to the broadcaster’s Wikipedia page. But PBS says the proposed labeling will send the wrong message about its programming. "Labeling PBS a 'publicly funded broadcaster' is both vague and misleading," said a PBS spokesman in a statement. "PBS and its member stations receive a small percentage of funding from the federal government; the majority of funding comes from private donations. More importantly, PBS is an independent, private, not-for-profit corporation, not a state broadcaster. YouTube’s proposed labeling could wrongly imply that the government has influence over PBS content, which is prohibited by statute. If YouTube's intent is to create clarity and better understanding, this is a step in the wrong direction. We are in ongoing discussions with YouTube on this issue, but we have yet to reach a satisfactory solution."