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YorkRailFan

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An Ofcom investigation today concluded that People’s Forum: The Prime Minister (PDF, 612.8 KB) on GB News broke broadcasting due impartiality rules. Given this represents a serious and repeated breach of these rules, we are now starting the process for consideration of a statutory sanction against GB News.

Ofcom received 547 complaints about this live, hour-long current affairs programme. It featured the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, in a question-and-answer session with a studio audience about the Government’s policies and performance, presented in the context of the forthcoming UK General Election. This met the definition of a major matter under our rules, so the heightened special impartiality requirements applied.

Ofcom has no issue with this programme’s editorial format in principle. In line with freedom of expression, broadcasters are free to innovate and use different editorial techniques in their programming – including offering audiences innovative forms of debate. But in doing so, they must observe the rules in our Broadcasting Code.

We recognised that this programme would focus mainly on the Conservative Party’s policies and track-record on a number of specific issues, meaning that Conservative viewpoints would be prevalent. We are clear that this, in and of itself, did not mean the programme could not comply with due impartiality rules under the Code.

It was incumbent on GB News, however, given the major matters under discussion, to ensure that an appropriately wide range of significant views was given due weight in the programme or in other clearly linked and timely programmes.

What we found

In considering whether the programme was duly impartial, we took into account a range of factors, such as: the audience’s questions to the Prime Minister; the Prime Minister’s responses; the presenter’s contribution; and whether due impartiality was preserved through clearly linked and timely programmes. Our investigation found, in summary, that:

  • while some of the audience’s questions provided some challenge to, and criticism of, the Government’s policies and performance, audience members were not able to challenge the Prime Minister’s responses and the Presenter did not do this to any meaningful extent;
  • the Prime Minister was able to set out future policies that his Government planned to implement, if re-elected in the forthcoming UK General Election. Neither the audience nor the Presenter challenged or otherwise referred to significant alternative views on these;
  • the Prime Minister criticised aspects of the Labour Party’s policies and performance. While politicians are of course able to do this in programmes, broadcasters must ensure that due impartiality is preserved. Neither the Labour Party’s views or positions on those issues, or any other significant views on those issues were included in the programme or given due weight; and
  • GB News did not, and was not able to, include a reference in the programme to an agreed future programme in which an appropriately wide range of significant views on the major matter would be presented and given due weight.
We also took into account that, during the course of our investigation, GB News said: it had purposefully not been aware of the questions which audience members would ask the Prime Minister; made an editorial decision that the Presenter would not intervene or challenge views expressed; and that there were no other editorial means for alternative views to be included in the programme.

Our decision

Given the very high compliance risks this programme presented, we found GB News’s approach to compliance to be wholly insufficient, and consider it could have, and should have, taken additional steps to mitigate these risks.

We found that an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints were not presented and given due weight in the People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, nor was due impartiality preserved through clearly linked and timely programmes. As a result, we consider that the Prime Minister had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK General Election.

We have therefore recorded a breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code against GB News.

Starting our sanctions process

Ofcom considers GB News’s failure to preserve due impartiality in this case to be serious and – given its two previous breaches of these rules – repeated. We are therefore now starting our process for consideration of a statutory sanction against GB News.

In line with our published sanctions procedures, (PDF, 189.7 KB) we aim to conclude our consideration within 60 working days. If we consider that a sanction may be appropriate, the broadcaster is informed of our Preliminary View and is subsequently given the opportunity to make written and oral representations to us. Subject to these representations, we reach a final decision.

Hopefully Ofcom will actually do something about this and not just watch it from a distance. I don't watch GB News so does anyone know who the Presenter of this show was at the time?
 
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sor

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rather predictably, Ofcom didn't take "The Sunak Hour" too well


An Ofcom investigation today concluded that People’s Forum: The Prime Minister on GB News broke broadcasting due impartiality rules. Given this represents a serious and repeated breach of these rules, we are now starting the process for consideration of a statutory sanction against GB News.
They appear to suggest that the concept of a party leader as a sole participant is fine, but GB News fell flat on ensuring that Labour Party policies or views were fairly represented and Sunak was given a lot of sway over the running of the show (right down to demanding that someone question him about tax policy so he could reel off the prepared answer)

I won't hold my breath on what this "sanction" is going to entail.
 

Mojo

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rather predictably, Ofcom didn't take "The Sunak Hour" too well



They appear to suggest that the concept of a party leader as a sole participant is fine, but GB News fell flat on ensuring that Labour Party policies or views were fairly represented and Sunak was given a lot of sway over the running of the show (right down to demanding that someone question him about tax policy so he could reel off the prepared answer)

I won't hold my breath on what this "sanction" is going to entail.
When you watch the video and read GB News’ statement in isolation this seems quite outrageous
 

1D54

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I wonder how many of the 547 people who complained actually watched the offending show. Sunak was ripped to bits that night.. Other leaders have been invited on similar live shows so I've no idea what Ofcom think they are doing, sure they have a duty to take complaints seriously but this witchunt against GBN is absolutely ridiculous. The channel is a breath of fresh air compared with the ludicrous monotony of the rest. Sure it's not everyone's cup of tea so if you don't like it then simply don't watch it.
 

SuspectUsual

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The channel is a breath of fresh air compared with the ludicrous monotony of the rest. Sure it's not everyone's cup of tea so if you don't like it then simply don't watch it.

If you don’t like people breaking the rules, look the other way?
 

sor

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When you watch the video and read GB News’ statement in isolation this seems quite outrageous
I can't see that because Musk's broken the website on Firefox - but I did watch the actual programme live (and the even more ridiculously biased after show where they had another Tory on to talk about how great Sunak was) and I'd agree with Ofcom's outcome. When Twitter was working for me I could see the usual performative outrage from various GB News employees so obviously it's rattled them.

I wonder how many of the 547 people who complained actually watched the offending show. Sunak was ripped to bits that night.. Other leaders have been invited on similar live shows so I've no idea what Ofcom think they are doing, sure they have a duty to take complaints seriously but this witchunt against GBN is absolutely ridiculous. The channel is a breath of fresh air compared with the ludicrous monotony of the rest. Sure it's not everyone's cup of tea so if you don't like it then simply don't watch it.
I didn't complain, but I did watch it at the time. Ofcom are pretty clear on why this show didn't follow the rules and why it differs from other shows. It's not a "witch hunt" for rule-breaking channels to receive Ofcom's usual slap on the wrist. GB News exists for a specific reason and it's not for its diversity of coverage.

As an example, LBC gives regular slots to politicians and very outspoken presenters too, but since they attempt to give different views equal prominence and coverage then Ofcom isn't too bothered. If you don't like Nick Ferrari or Iain Dale's views, wait a couple of hours for James O'Brien or Shelagh Fogerty. The GBN version of "balance" seems to be that they have (mostly) Tory balanced by a couple of Reform Party Ltd people in Tice and Farage.
 

1D54

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Nigel Farage has won the TRIC Award for Best News Presenter two years running and declared GB News "is here to stay". Farage joined the channel back in 2021 but has since stepped back from his TV role to run for Reform UK in the upcoming General Election. Accepting his award, he said: "Thank you!
 

jon0844

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Wow, who knew an award ceremony GB News sponsors might give an award.

Let's wait until he wins a big award.

But he is right, GB News will stay as it will get even more donations to ramp up the culture wars once Labour takes over.
 

SuspectUsual

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So he won best news presenter by presenting on a station that denies it’s a news station?
 

1D54

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Surprised Dewbs and Co were not nominated for an award. Regularly beats Sky News for the 6pm slot and a breath of fresh air with guests from all political spheres.
 

jon0844

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Nothing to stop other nominees from gathering support.

Indeed, except I doubt many people had a clue about it. Funniest thing is two years in a row, he was booed when he collected it and people at the event called foul saying the voting was manipulated.
 

Busaholic

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The award is chosen by the public.
The tiny number of the public who manage to watch GB News without a sick bucket to hand. Is it really called the Trick award? If so, how appropriate!
 

Busaholic

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Have you ever watched GB News?
I watch clips constantly. on the basis of ''keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.'' I wash my hands both before and after the experience, but I have a five minute limit (three for Farage) as I'm not a masochist. :smile:
 

YorkRailFan

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An investigation into an episode of Dan Wootton's GB News show last year, in which he claimed he had been the target of a smear campaign, has been discontinued by Ofcom.

Typical.
More than 10,000 people have signed up as paying members of GB News, according to the broadcaster.

Mind-boggling how so many people would give their money to a broadcaster like GB News.
 

jon0844

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Internal figures? Back in the day circulation figures were audited independently.

These days I'm happy to announce my website gets 1bn page views every day.
 

JamesT

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Internal figures? Back in the day circulation figures were audited independently.

These days I'm happy to announce my website gets 1bn page views every day.
Some newspapers withdrew from ABC who produce the audited figures, others have chosen to no longer make their figures public. They got bored of all the stories about newspaper sales collapsing.
 

jon0844

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Some newspapers withdrew from ABC who produce the audited figures, others have chosen to no longer make their figures public. They got bored of all the stories about newspaper sales collapsing.

Well, given they were massively losing sales, I can see why! And now the same is true for online content due to saturation (everyone is a broadcaster now) and the fact that in many cases, people just don't watch online programming to any great degree, preferring to receive their news in 15 second clips that algorithms target towards them.

As Elon keeps suggesting, this is where people want their news from. It isn't news of course, but trying to get people back to watching news broadcasts, buying newspapers and magazines where writers are paid from the cover price and not by publishers paying them by how many clicks they got.

I have no idea how we reverse this trend, incidentally.

GB News will likely keep getting funded now it is in the perfect position to attack the Labour Government - with less conflict than when we had a Tory Government. There will be many people willing to keep the channel going and ensure it keeps with the inflammatory talking points (like Lee Anderson's recent comments on the rioters just being lads who had one too many) and I expect there will always be an audience for that.
 

brad465

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Farage is earning more money for GB News presenting work a month than he or any other MP does in a year on an MP's salary:

Nigel Farage has revealed he is earning well over a £1m a year from work he does outside parliament, in addition to his job as an MP.
It is thought his outside income is significantly higher than that of any other member of parliament.
The majority of the Reform UK leader's earnings come from his work presenting on the GB News television channel - which alone pays him almost £1.2m a year.
Reform UK have been approached for a comment.
The disclosures were made in the latest Register of Members' Financial Interests, external, published by parliament.
Mr Farage is obliged to declare all his outside earnings following his election as MP for Clacton in Essex in July.
As a member of parliament Mr Farage has a basic annual salary of £91,346 plus expenses for his office and staff, and housing costs either in his constituency or in London.
Over and above that he has declared he is paid £97,928.40 a month by GB News Ltd for 32 hours work a month presenting on its TV channel, equating to an annual salary from GB News of £1,175,140.80.
Mr Farage suspended his show, which airs Monday to Thursday each week, to focus on the election campaign, but he has now returned to the channel.
The Clacton MP said he has also been paid £16,597.22 for recording personalised video messages for individuals through the Cameo.com website.
In his declaration he said he works around 24 hours a month for Cameo.
The US-based service charges $90 (£70) for each short video recorded by Mr Farage.
Its website describes him as a "former UK politician" and says "customers can request messages for a variety of occasions, from birthdays and retirements to roasts and motivational pep talks. Nigel is often asked to reference his political views on Brexit, immigration, and the Reform UK party".
Other earnings declared by Mr Farage include £4,000 a month from the Daily Telegraph newspaper for 16 hours work a month writing articles - and income from social media including £1,551.29 from X and £853 from Meta, which owns Facebook.
The total time Mr Farage estimates he spends on work outside parliament for his TV, video-recording and newspaper writing equates to around 72 hours a month, the equivalent of nine full working days.
Under other interests Mr Farage has disclosed he took a trip to the US after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July. The trip was funded by a private donation from Christopher Harborne, who is a crypto currency investor who has previously donated to Reform UK, the Brexit Party and Boris Johnson.
Mr Farage described the purpose of the visit as "to support a friend who was almost killed and to represent Clacton on the world stage".
He estimated the cost of the flights and accommodation for himself and one staff member to be £32,836.
Mr Farage disclosed one further trip to speak at the National Conservatism Conference in Brussels in April this year, putting the cost for the single night visit to Belgium for himself, a staffer and "security provision" at £9,253.50.
That trip was funded by George Cottrell, a former aide to Mr Farage who spent eight months in jail in the US in 2017 after he was caught in an FBI sting operation telling undercover officers he could launder money for them.
 

1D54

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The bloke is an absolute legend and worth every last Penny / Cent. Why would voters remorse begin to arrive in Clacton? His earnings have nothing to do with why the good folk of that area put him in the HoC!
 

YorkRailFan

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Why would voters remorse begin to arrive in Clacton?
Because Farage hasn't been seen in Clacton for weeks, he doesn't have a constituency office and hasn't responded to emails from constituents.
 

SuspectUsual

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The bloke is an absolute legend and worth every last Penny / Cent. Why would voters remorse begin to arrive in Clacton? His earnings have nothing to do with why the good folk of that area put him in the HoC!

Do you honestly think Farage cares a jot for the people of Clacton? Or even the people of the UK?

All he cares about is himself, grifting for as much money he can make from the gullible and foolish, and being the centre of attention
 

brad465

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The bloke is an absolute legend and worth every last Penny / Cent. Why would voters remorse begin to arrive in Clacton? His earnings have nothing to do with why the good folk of that area put him in the HoC!
Anyone who is an MP should not be hosting a TV show, or any other second job*, while they are an MP. The MP role should be their full time work, whether that's Farage or anyone else.

*if you need to do certain work to maintain competency in your previous profession, such as a Medical Doctor, this can be an exception, though any salary earned from this really should be donated IMO.
 

DelW

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Is Farage likely to put more time and effort (assuming he's willing to make any) into (a) the job that pays him £1m+ p.a. or (b) the job that pays him £91k p.a.?

Since he seems to have spent much of his time since the election in the USA or in TV studios, the answer seems obvious. His main contribution here seems to have been to encourage the rioters and looters by giving their supposed excuse credibility, before backtracking and claiming to be horrified at the actions that resulted.

The man is an utter hypocrite in everything he says and does. No wonder he's so chummy with Trump, whom he seems to view as an idol and role model.
 
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