Ofcom rules GB News breached due impartiality rules
An Ofcom investigation has concluded that an episode of Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil on GB News breached due impartiality rules.
Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil is a weekly two-hour discussion programme presented by Esther McVey and Philip Davies, two sitting Conservative Party MPs.
This particular programme on 11 March 2023, featured a pre-recorded interview between the two presenters and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP. The interview focused on the Government’s approach to economic and fiscal policies ahead of the Spring Budget, which was announced four days later.
Ofcom received 45 complaints from viewers and listeners who raised concerns that the programme had failed to preserve due impartiality.
The regulator said: “Given this programme featured two sitting MP presenters from one political party interviewing the Chancellor of the same political party about a matter of major political controversy and current public policy, we consider, in these circumstances, that GB News should have taken additional steps to ensure that due impartiality was preserved.
“Our investigation therefore concluded that GB News failed to represent and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views on a matter of major political controversy and current public policy within this programme, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12.”
GB News is broadcast on television and simulcast as an audio-only service on the national Digital One multiplex.