Ofcom imposes £100,000 fine on GB News for impartiality breach

The media regulator Ofcom has issued a £100,000 fine to GB News due to violations of impartiality regulations. This penalty relates to a broadcast featuring former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who appeared on the television channel on 12 February 2024. The appearance was part of a one-hour current affairs special, which also incorporated a question-and-answer segment. According to the broadcasting watchdog, Mr. Sunak was afforded an “uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government in a period preceding the UK General Election.” However, Angelos Frangopoulos, the chief executive of GB News, stated that Ofcom’s choice to levy the fine constitutes “a direct attack on free speech and journalism in the United Kingdom.” Ofcom explained that a fine of this magnitude was levied “given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach” of its broadcasting code. Furthermore, in an official statement, Ofcom indicated that it has informed GB News that the channel must broadcast a statement regarding the watchdog’s conclusions, at a time of GB News’ selection. Ofcom also acknowledged that GB News is currently pursuing a legal challenge against the regulator concerning several previous rulings. Mr. Frangopoulos characterized the financial penalties as “unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.” He asserted, “The plan to sanction GB News flies in the face of Ofcom’s duty to act fairly, lawfully and proportionately to safeguard free speech, particularly political speech and on matters of public interest.” GB News had previously been unsuccessful in a High Court challenge aimed at preventing Ofcom from imposing temporary sanctions, during which its legal representatives contended that such actions would inflict “irreparable damage” upon its reputation. The GB News program, where members of the public posed questions to Rishi Sunak in a Q&A style, generated 547 complaints when it was broadcast. Ofcom had stated in May that it had “no issue with this programme’s editorial format in principle” but that an “appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented.” GB News’s response at the time indicated that “14 of the 15 questions asked” were “highly critical of the government.” Since its inception in 2021, the broadcast regulator has determined that GB News has violated its regulations on 12 separate occasions. Currently, six investigations remain open, following the closure of one against Dan Wootton in July of this year.