Ofcom Slams GB News Over Politician Presenters Breaking Impartiality Rules
Ofcom has hit GB News with a major slap-down after ruling that several shows featuring politicians as news presenters broke impartiality rules. The regulator says the channel crossed the line by letting politicians read and report the news, risking biased coverage.
Politicians Can’t Just Be Newsreaders, Says Broadcasting Code
The UK’s Broadcasting Code is clear: all news must be impartial, and politicians are generally banned from acting as newsreaders, interviewers, or reporters—unless there’s a strong editorial reason. GB News tried to blur these lines, but Ofcom wasn’t having it.
The Guilty Shows: Jacob Rees-Mogg and More
Ofcom pinpointed five GB News programmes that failed to comply, including:
- Jacob Rees-Mogg’s State of the Nation: Two episodes in May-June 2023 saw Rees-Mogg acting as a newsreader and interviewer without proper justification.
- Friday Morning with Esther and Phil: Two episodes where politicians took on news presenter roles.
- Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil: One episode with similar violations.
These shows mixed news and current affairs but allowed politicians to report breaking news, breaching impartiality rules and giving biased coverage.
Ofcom Issues Warning: More Breaches Could Mean Statutory Sanctions
“These are the first breaches of Rules 5.1 and 5.3 recorded against GB News. Since opening these investigations, there has only been one further programme which has raised issues warranting investigation under these rules. We are clear, however, that GB News is put on notice that any repeated breaches of Rules 5.1 and 5.3 may result in the imposition of a statutory sanction.” – Ofcom
GB News faces a clear warning: toe the impartiality line or face tough penalties. The broadcaster’s gamble on politician presenters has backfired — and Ofcom is watching closely.
