Ofcom has found GB News in breach of the Broadcasting Code. In a decision announced today, it concluded that coverage of the broadcaster’s Don’t Kill Cash campaign broke impartiality guidelines. However, the regulator has done next to nothing in response.
Ofcom said that GB News did not really offer a range of different perspectives on the campaign and was clearly endorsing it. Newspapers can and do run campaigns. Broadcasters are meant to be impartial. In its announcement, Ofcom wrote:
We expect GB News to take careful account of this decision in its future programming.
That will do it.
GB News has already been found in breach of Ofcom rules three times. The latest involved Esther McVey (now back in the Government) and partner/fellow Conservative MP Philip Davies interviewing the (Conservative) Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. It is also worth noting that there are five ongoing investigations into programmes relating to the Don’t Kill Campaign. They are not assessing the merits of the campaign, just how it is covered on air. The channel has also been subject to multiple investigations on other issues.
I’m sure today’s decision will terrify the channel into following the rules…
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