close
close

GB News fined £100,000 for breaching impartiality rules during Rishi Sunak’s pre-election broadcast

Posted on by Pranco
GB News fined £100,000 for breaching impartiality rules during Rishi Sunak’s pre-election broadcast

By Paul Revoir

Published: | Updated:

GB News was yesterday fined £100,000 for breaching impartiality rules in a program featuring Rishi Sunak.

It follows an appearance by Mr Sunak on a February 12 broadcast entitled People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, where he was asked questions by a studio audience.

A previous investigation by Ofcom found that ‘an appropriately broad range of important views were not expressed and given due weight’.

Yesterday the media watchdog said that ‘we have 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’.

Ofcom revealed it had also commissioned GB News to broadcast a statement on the findings. But GB News is challenging Ofcom’s original ruling in court.

GB News fined £100,000 for breaching impartiality rules during Rishi Sunak’s pre-election broadcast

The fine follows an appearance by Mr Sunak on a February 12 broadcast called People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, where he was asked questions by a studio audience

Nigel Farage on his show on GB News. Ofcom revealed it had also commissioned GB News to broadcast a statement on the findings. But GB News is challenging Ofcom's original ruling in court

Nigel Farage on his show on GB News. Ofcom revealed it had also commissioned GB News to broadcast a statement on the findings. But GB News is challenging Ofcom’s original ruling in court

GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos said: 'We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful'

GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos said: ‘We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful’

Yesterday the media watchdog said that 'we have 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'

Yesterday the media watchdog said that ‘we have 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’

The broadcaster said yesterday that the sanctions were ‘unnecessary, unfair and unlawful’.

Ofcom said it would not enforce the sanction until the lawsuit was resolved.

GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos said: ‘We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful. The High Court has already granted GB News permission to bring a judicial review to challenge Ofcom’s decision that the program breached the requirements of due impartiality.

‘So Ofcom’s proposed sanction is 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.’

Ofcom said in its sanctions announcement: ‘Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on GB News Limited.’

It added: ‘We have also instructed GB News to broadcast a statement setting out our findings against it, 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.”