By Lucy Caulkett-
GB News may face regulatory sanctions following a programme featuring Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that was found to have breached impartiality guidelines.
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, originally announced in February that it was “starting the process for consideration of a statutory sanction” against the channel for the broadcast of ‘People’s Forum: The Prime Minister,’ which aired on February 12.
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The hour-long show, in which members of the public posed questions to Sunak, received 547 complaints.
Ofcom, which has carried out 23 formal investigations amid 13 breaches of broadcast rules by GB News, today determined that the programme violated rules requiring due impartiality in political broadcasts, noting that it failed to present a sufficiently broad range of significant views beyond those of the Conservative Party.
In response to the ruling, GB News issued a strong statement, characterizing Ofcom’s actions as an attempt to suppress the channel. “This is an alarming development in its attempt to silence us,” the channel stated, adding that the decision “strikes at the heart of democracy.”
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The regulator explained that while the format of the show was acceptable in principle, it fell short by not providing “due weight” to a variety of viewpoints.
Ofcom emphasized that these perspectives should have been integrated either within the programme or through other connected and timely broadcasts.
”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,” Ofcom stated.
The regulator noted the Labour Party’s positions and views were not included, and nor was there a reference to any future programme where they would be.
Ofcom concluded: “We found that an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented and given due weight in this case.
“As a result, Rishi Sunak had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government in a period preceding a UK general election.”
The watchdog highlighted that Sunak was given “a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK General Election.”
Ofcom’s ruling marks a breach of rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code, which govern impartiality in news and current affairs programming.
GB News quickly attempted to refute the accusations, maintaining that it did not violate impartiality rules. “The regulator’s threat to punish a news organisation with sanctions for enabling people to challenge their own prime minister strikes at the heart of democracy at a time when it could not be more vital,” the channel said.
It further argued that the programme allowed an independently selected group of undecided voters to question the Prime Minister without prior interference or knowledge of the questions by either the producers or Sunak.
The controversy surrounding the Sunak programme follows an earlier Ofcom decision in March, where five other GB News programmes, including two hosted by Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, were also found to have breached due impartiality rules.
Ofcom’s sanctions include a broad range of options.
It could impose a financial penalty, shorten a licence, revoke a licence
It could also issue a direction not to repeat a programme, or issue a direction to broadcast a correction or a statement of Ofcom’s finding
The broadcast regulator has found GB News in breach of its rules 12 times since it launched in 2021.
Seven investigations are still outstanding, including one into a programme hosted by its former presenter Dan Wootton in relation to fairness and privacy rules.
It is not clear when the broadcasting regulation will conclude those investigations.
An episode of Nigel Farage’s show is being investigated for due impartiality.
As the regulatory process unfolds, the potential sanctions could have significant implications for GB News and its broadcasting practices.
The channel’s stance suggests it will continue to defend its approach, framing the issue as a battle for democratic principles and the freedom of the press.
Ofcom, though, has the highest level of credibility in this matter, sitting as the gate keeper of broadcasting rules.
An Ofcom spokesperson told The Eye Of Media.Com : ”we have up to 60 days to decide what sanctions we impose. Much will depend on representations made by GB News in this matter”.
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