Complaint
The programme included a studio discussion about GB News and broadcasting regulation following the channel’s suspension of two of its presenters. Philip Davies MP complained on behalf of a number of his constituents that the discussion lacked impartiality because none of the guests had represented the viewpoint of GB News. Subsequently a viewer complained in similar terms.
Outcome
The programme-makers had contacted GB News and a number of its former employees with the aim of representing the channel’s viewpoint, but had been unsuccessful. All three guest speakers expressed strong criticisms of GB News, and a challenge to one of them by the presenter towards the end of the discussion, to the effect that GB News would regard him as a representative of establishment media who was merely averse to competition, was not enough on its own to balance the criticisms. The ECU noted, however, that ´óÏó´«Ã½ News had posted a statement on the complaints pages of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ website on 5 October which acknowledged that the item had suffered from the absence of a representative of GB News’ viewpoint. In the ECU’s judgement this sufficed to resolve the issue of complaint.
Resolved