Yeah. Reputable...
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/ ... h-2023.pdf
Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil GB News, 11 March 2023, 10:00
Summary
This document sets out Ofcom’s Decision on a GB News programme presented by two sitting Conservative MPs, Esther McVey and Philip Davies, who interviewed the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt. Ofcom was alerted to this content by 45 complaints about the due impartiality of the programme.
Ofcom investigated under the Broadcasting Code’s due impartiality rules. This was a current affairs programme and therefore Rule 5.3 (on politicians presenting news programming) was not engaged. However, when dealing with matters of major political controversy and major matters relating to current public policy, all Ofcom licensees must comply with the heightened special impartiality requirements in the Code. These rules require broadcasters to take additional steps to preserve due impartiality – namely by including and giving due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views.
The presenters interviewed the Chancellor about the Government’s approach to economic and fiscal policies in the context of the forthcoming Spring Budget (which was due to be announced four days after the broadcast of the programme, on 15 March 2023). The interview was pre-recorded and the programme also included a studio discussion and analysis with guest panellists.
Ofcom found that the programme did not include an appropriately wide range of significant views, for example those that either criticised, opposed or put forward policy alternatives to the viewpoints given by the three Conservative Party politicians, on a matter of major political controversy and current public policy.
GB News therefore failed to preserve due impartiality, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code.
Ofcom recognises that, in accordance with the right to freedom of expression, broadcasters have
freedom to decide the editorial approach of their programmes, including offering their audiences
innovative forms of debate.
However, this programme was presented by two sitting MPs from one political party. It featured
them interviewing the Chancellor of the same political party about a matter of major political
controversy and current public policy. In our view, in these circumstances, the Licensee should have
taken additional steps to ensure that due impartiality was preserved.