Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser has defended GB News, claiming the channel is “doing a fantastic job” after Ofcom's ruling yesterday made headlines.
Broadcasting regulator Ofcom has decided to uphold complaints about programs hosted by Tory MPs Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Esther McVey and Philip Davies, after finding that five episodes of the GB News program breached broadcasting rules.
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Ofcom declared that the five episodes broke set rules due to politicians “acting as news presenters”.
However, GB News stressed that the media watchdog's ruling was based on arbitrary changes in how Ofcom defines impartiality.
Culture Minister Lucy Fraser said GB News was “doing a fantastic job”.
GB News
Speaking to Eamonn and Isabel on the GB News breakfast programme, the Culture Secretary said: “I think GB News is doing a fantastic job. I support media pluralism.
“You have a lot of viewers who are very interested in your production, and other channels do as well.
“GB News has decided to be regulated by Ofcom, it is very clear that there is a rule that does not allow sitting MPs to present news, but allows them to present current affairs programmes.
“This, as I understand it, is what presenters are doing at the moment at GB News.”
Ofcom has put GB News on notice Palestinian Authority
Isabelle asked her if she agreed with the broadcaster's ruling.
The GB News host added: “Because GB News said it felt as though the target lists had been moved, precisely because the program had been shown to be impartial and that there was no problem with the program itself, it was just that someone would have found it impartial.” “.
Fraser said: “Ofcom has made two decisions in relation to Great Britain news. One was about impartiality and that is a question for them. They are the regulator.
“The other is whether there is a breach of the Broadcasting Act because the Broadcasting Act states that a sitting MP cannot present news, live news that happens, but he can present current affairs programmes. That was the second part of Ofcom's ruling.”
Isabelle asked her if she agreed with the ruling
GB News
Ofcom's decision centered around episodes broadcast in May and June 2023. It was claimed the episodes included a mix of news and current affairs. “The news was therefore not presented with due impartiality,” Ofcom concluded.
The Media Regulatory Authority added in a statement: “Politicians have an inherently partial role in society, and the public is likely to view the news content they provide in light of this perceived bias.
“In our view, the use of politicians to present news threatens to undermine the integrity and credibility of regulated radio news.”
GB News, which has been the target of a boycott of far-left advertising since before its launch, recently announced a membership plan to allow viewers who want to support the channel to do so directly.
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