GB News should lose its licence, says ex-Sky News editor Adam Boulton | GB News
Former Sky News political editor Adam Boulton said GB News should lose its broadcasting licence, accusing Britain’s media regulator of failing in its duty to protect impartial television news.
Boulton, who was Sky News’ political editor for 25 years after the channel launched in 1989, said he believed it was now too late to revoke broadcast rights to GB News, despite it introducing a partisan broadcast style to British television since its launch in 2021.
Asked if he would revoke GB News’ licence, Boulton said: “Yes, I would. I think Ofcom has failed in its duty as a regulator… It seems to me that GB News has consistently demonstrated clear breaches of impartiality rules.”
“I think it’s probably too late now, that’s my conclusion unfortunately,” Boulton told the Beeb Watch podcast. “But should GB News have been given news broadcaster status alongside Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC? In my personal opinion, no. That’s why we had a regulator. But I think the regulator failed.”
His comments followed a series of high-profile complaints about the right-wing channel’s reporting; These included an interview with Donald Trump last year in which the US president did not dispute claims about Britain, the climate crisis and Islam.
Ofcom this week announced it was investigating a program featuring a repeat of the interview.
Boulton also called for a ban on politicians he calls “presenters” who also work as TV presenters.
GB News’ staff includes various names from Reform UK. The party’s leader, Nigel Farage, hosts a program on the channel and owns almost 500,000 shares in GB News’ parent company through his private company, Companies House records show.
The channel’s more overtly partisan approach came partly because its broadcasting rules did not require the absolute neutrality traditionally associated with other major broadcasters.
GB News argued that it consistently met Ofcom standards for “impartiality” by featuring guests and panellists with views different from those of many of its presenters and commentators.
A spokesman said: “GB News takes its responsibilities as a regulated broadcaster seriously and operates in accordance with Ofcom broadcasting rules.”
Ofcom has rejected suggestions it has failed to regulate partial and misleading coverage, saying it is vital to protect “freedom of expression” within broadcasting rules.
“We strongly reject the suggestion that Ofcom is unwilling or unable to enforce broadcasting rules,” a spokesman said. “We apply our rules consistently and fairly to all broadcasters and take enforcement action where necessary.
“Freedom of expression is something we fiercely protect in this country, and the bar for revoking broadcasting licenses is rightly set very high and reserved for the most serious cases.”
The regulator added: “Our necessary impartiality rules are designed to ensure that viewers are presented with a range of perspectives so that they can form an informed view on matters of public interest. As the rules make clear, ‘required’ impartiality does not require absolute impartiality and will vary depending on the topic, program format and audience expectations.”
“Ofcom does not guide editorial policy or monitor output on an ongoing basis, as this would risk undermining the editorial independence of broadcasters and the open debate necessary in a democratic society.”
Despite its chaotic start, GB News established itself among other news channels and within a few months had overtaken Sky News and the BBC News channel in average viewership figures.
But like most streaming news channels, its audience is relatively small. An average of 89,500 viewers was recorded in April.
