Ofcom fines GB News £100,000 for 'serious and repeated' breaches to impartiality rules
The regulator will not enforce its sanction until proceedings have concluded relating to a challenge by the broadcaster.
Ofcom has issued a fine of £100,000 on GB News, after an earlier investigation found that an "appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented and given due weight" in its programme People’s Forum: The Prime Minister.
The programme in question aired on 12th February 2024, and was an hour-long programme featuring the then-prime minister Rishi Sunak answering audience questions.
Ofcom argued that the programme gave him a "mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his government in a period preceding a UK General Election", breaching the impartiality requirements in its code.
In a statement, Ofcom said: "Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on GB News Limited.
"We have also directed GB News to broadcast a statement of our findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by us."
GB News had already challenged the original breach decision by Ofcom by judicial review, which Ofcom is defending. Ofcom has said it will not enforce its proposed sanction, of a fine and a broadcast statement, until those proceedings are concluded.
In a statement reacting to Ofcom's decision, GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos said: "The announcement by Ofcom to impose sanctions upon GB News in relation to the People’s Forum is a direct attack on free speech and journalism in the United Kingdom. We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.
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"The High Court has already granted GB News permission to bring a judicial review to challenge Ofcom’s decision that the Programme was in breach of due impartiality requirements.
"The sanction proposed by Ofcom is therefore still subject to that legal challenge. 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.
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"We have believed from the very start the People’s Forum was an important piece of public interest programming, and that appropriate steps were taken to ensure due impartiality and compliance with the Broadcasting Code. It was designed to allow members of the public to put their own questions directly to leading politicians.
"GB News chooses to be regulated and we understand our obligations under the Code. But, equally, Ofcom is obliged by law to uphold freedom of expression and apply its rules fairly and lawfully.
"At the People’s Channel we will continue to fearlessly champion freedom; for our viewers, for our listeners, and for everyone in the United Kingdom. As we have all seen, this is needed more than ever."
This is not the first time Ofcom has found GB News to be in breach its codes, and the regulator earlier this year put the broadcaster "on notice", after it repeatedly found that the channel had seen politicians acting as news presenters.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
