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GB News has been fined £100,000 by Ofcom following an interview with Rishi Sunak

GB News has been fined £100,000 by Ofcom following an interview with Rishi Sunak

Ofcom said it has fined GB News £100,000 for “breaching impartiality rules” following an interview with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year.

The media watchdog began an investigation into GB News three days after the broadcast of a program on February 12 entitled People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, in which Mr Sunak answered questions from a studio audience and a presenter.

GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos says the broadcaster is challenging Ofcom’s ruling in court, saying it is “unnecessary, unfair and unlawful”.

Ofcom ruled that the programme, People's Forum: The Prime Minister, breached 'due impartiality rules' by giving the then Prime Minister a 'largely unchallenged platform' (GB News/Matt Pover/PA)Ofcom ruled that the programme, People's Forum: The Prime Minister, breached 'due impartiality rules' by giving the then Prime Minister a 'largely unchallenged platform' (GB News/Matt Pover/PA)
Ofcom ruled that the programme, People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, breached ‘due impartiality rules’ by giving the then Prime Minister a ‘largely unchallenged platform’ (GB News/Matt Pover/PA)

In a statement, Ofcom said: “We concluded that the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had a largely unchallenged platform to promote his government’s policies and achievements in a period leading up to the UK general election, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Regulations. the Broadcasting Code.

“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 instructed GB News to broadcast a statement of our findings against her, on a date and in a form to be determined by us.

“GB News is challenging our original infringement decision in this case through judicial review, which we are defending. Ofcom will not implement this sanctions decision until these proceedings have been completed.”

The rules state that “appropriate impartiality must be maintained in matters of major political and industrial controversy” and must include “an appropriately wide range of important views”.

The broadcaster previously lost a High Court challenge to temporarily stop Ofcom from imposing sanctions, with GB News’ lawyers claiming it would cause “irreparable damage” to its reputation.

In October, Judge Chamberlain said the “likely impact” on the channel was “exaggerated” but gave them the green light to challenge the finding that the channel had broken Ofcom rules in the High Court.

Earlier this year, the channel was ‘notified’ that further breaches of the rules for due impartiality ‘may result in the imposition of a legal sanction’, after then-sitting MPs and a Conservative minister broke the rules for politicians. act as newsreaders”.

In a statement, Frangopoulos called Ofcom’s decision “a direct attack on freedom of expression and journalism in the United Kingdom.”

He said: “We believe that these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.

“The High Court has already given GB News leave to bring a judicial review to challenge Ofcom’s decision that the program breached the requirements of due impartiality.

“The sanction proposed by Ofcom is therefore still subject to that legal challenge.

“The plan to sanction GB News is contrary to Ofcom’s duty to act fairly, lawfully and proportionately to protect freedom of expression, especially political expression and on matters of public interest.”

Chief executive officer of GB News Angelos Frangopoulos says the broadcaster will challenge the ruling, calling it 'unnecessary, unfair and unlawful' (Dominic Lipinski/PA)GB News chief executive officer Angelos Frangopoulos says the broadcaster will challenge the ruling, calling it 'unnecessary, unfair and unlawful' (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
GB News chief executive officer Angelos Frangopoulos says the broadcaster will challenge the ruling, calling it ‘unnecessary, unfair and unlawful’ (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The statement continued: “We have believed from the very beginning that the People’s Forum was an important piece of program of public interest, and that appropriate steps have been taken to ensure the necessary impartiality and compliance with the Broadcasting Code.

“It was designed to allow members of the public to ask their own questions directly to leading politicians.”

He added that the channel decided to “be regulated and we understand our obligations under” the Broadcasting Code, and believes Ofcom is “obligated by law to uphold freedom of expression and apply the rules fairly and lawfully” .

Mr Frangopoulos said: “We will continue to fearlessly stand up for freedom; for our viewers, for our listeners and for everyone in the UK. As we have all seen, this is needed more than ever.”

In its original ruling, Ofcom said the episode featuring Mr Sunak was “presented in the context of the upcoming UK general election”, which had not yet been announced but was due to take place within months, and “did not” have a sufficiently wide audience. range of important positions”.

It said there was “no problem in principle with the editorial format of this programme”, and said GB News should have taken “additional steps to” mitigate the risks due to the “very high level of compliance” required.

In March, Ofcom said GB News had breached impartiality rules after some programs featuring Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Sir Philip Davies along with then Conservative minister Esther McVey.

Married couple Mrs McVey, who retained her Tory seat at the election, and ex-Tory backbencher Sir Philip are no longer part of the GB News line-up.