Weather bureau bogged down in embarrassing Twitter gaffe after announcing name change

In a statement sent to journalists Tuesday morning, the weather agency asked publications to update how the organization was being referred to in the media.

“The Bureau of Meteorology urges news outlets to update their editorial style to ensure that references to the organization are not BoM or the Bureau of Meteorology, but its full name, Bureau of Meteorology or Bureau for short,” they said. is writing

The request was made to ensure that the Secretariat’s “insights, wisdom, data and information” are fully respected and “shared, understood and acted upon.”

The style change also comes with a refresh of country, state and region specific Twitter handles, updated to @TheBureau_Au, @TheBureau_NSW, @TheBureau_ACT, @TheBureau_Vic, @TheBureau_Tas, @TheBureau_Qld, @TheBureau_SA, @TheBureau_NT. and @TheBureau_WA.

But the BoM *ahem* Bureau made one serious mistake. Prior to announcing the change to the new Twitter account, the organization had yet to request a username. Within minutes of sharing the statement, the Secretariat’s intended Twitter username was already being used by members of the public.

External Twitter users changed their handles to @TheBureau_AU, @TheBureau_NSW, @TheBureau_ACT, and @TheBureau_Tas, which are no longer available.

The account has since been suspended, but the Bureau of Meteorology’s main account, @TheBureau_AU, has been redacted to read “Australia’s Little Bureau,” with an updated profile picture and featuring a wooden writing desk (i.e., the Bureau).

@TheBureau_NSW was also acquired and its display name updated to “Bureau of MEMEorology (parody)”.

“To announce that the Bureau of Meteorology had changed its Twitter handle before actually doing so was a rookie mistake,” the account tweeted shortly after the name change.

The account later said he would give the Bureau his Twitter handle back if he fulfilled his “three simple requests.” It contained the power to manipulate.

As of now, the Secretariat has not yet responded.

On social media, journalists downplayed the changes on Twitter.

“If BoM never wants to be called The BoM again, I think the only thing they can do now is move to a new school,” writes comedian and podcast host Dan Ilic.

“The Bureau of Meteorology (website http://bom.gov.au and app called BOM Weather) is asking the media not to refer to the organization as ‘BOM’,” the Guardian said. Political reporter Josh Butler tweeted.

“I still call it ‘Safeway,’ so honestly BOM doesn’t stand a chance for me.

It’s currently unclear if the Bureau will continue with its social media strategy, or if the social media giant will step in and help make the transition.

News.com.au reached out to the Bureau of Meteorology but did not receive a response at the time of publication of this article.