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£22.99GB News has been hit with a £100,000 fine by Ofcom, the media regulator, for breaching impartiality rules on a programme featuring former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The politician appeared on the channel in February 2024 as part of a one-hour current affairs special that included a Q&A session.
According to Ofcom, Sunak was given an “uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government in a period preceding the UK General Election”. The regulator imposed the fine due to “repeated” breaches of its broadcasting code. The impartiality of news broadcasters has been a hot topic in recent years, and this decision reinforces the importance of ensuring balanced coverage in the media.
GB News is a relatively new player in the UK’s television news landscape, having launched in June 2021. Since its inception, it has sought to differentiate itself from other broadcasters by offering opinions and perspectives that are not represented in the mainstream media. However, this approach has also attracted criticism for promoting biased viewpoints and contributing to the polarization of public discourse.
This is not the first time that GB News has been in hot water with Ofcom. In July 2021, the regulator received numerous complaints about the channel’s coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests, which some viewers claimed perpetuated racism and hate speech. Ofcom ultimately concluded that GB News had not breached its code, but the controversy surrounding the incident highlights the challenges facing news broadcasters in maintaining impartiality and fairness in their reporting.
The fine imposed on GB News sends a clear message to all broadcasters that impartiality is a crucial aspect of responsible journalism. While opinions and analysis can certainly add value to news programmes, it is important to ensure that all sides of an issue are given a fair hearing. As the media landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how broadcasters adapt to these new challenges and expectations
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
