Howard Cox photograph

Howard Cox

Use attributes for filter !
Date of Reg.
Date of Upd.
ID1537023
Send edit request

About Howard Cox


Howard Cox is a British academic and Professor of International Business History at the University of Worcester. His research covers international business, industrial and corporate change, and the business history of various industries, including publishing, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and food retailing.

GB News: Politicians' shows under scrutiny in new Ofcom investigations

Oct 28,2021 2:37 am

By Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporter

Media regulator Ofcom has launched four new investigations into GB News after complaints that The channel broke impartiality rules.

Three episodes of shows hosted by Conservative MPs are being investigated in relation to a rule that politicians can't normally act as news presenters.

Programmes hosted by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Philip Davies and Esther Mcvey are among those being examined.

It takes The Number of active Ofcom investigations into GB News to seven.

Politicians as presenters

The UK media watchdog has a rule that prevents politicians from acting as newsreaders, interviewers or reporters in news programmes " unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified".

However, some news networks have argued their programmes hosted by politicians do not break The Rules because they should be classed as Current Affairs rather than news.

In June, Ofcom into public attitudes towards such programmes to decide whether The Rules should change.

On Monday, Ofcom said it was looking into three editions of GB News programmes in relation to The restrictions on politicians acting as news presenters.

They include The 13 June episode of Sir Jacob's show State of The Nation , which covered a stabbing in Nottingham.

The regulator is also investigating The 12 May episode of Friday Morning with Ester and Phil, which featured issues including a teenager who was being sentenced for terrorism offences.

The Following day's Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil is also being investigated under The " politicians as presenters" rule, as well as another rule that says news must be presented with due impartiality.

That episode featured an interview with Howard Cox - The Reform UK Party's candidate for The London mayoral Election - who was speaking Live From an anti-Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) demonstration.

Finally, Ofcom is investigating an episode of Laurence Fox 's programme from 16 June, when it was being was guest-presented by Martin Daubney .

That show featured an interview with Reform UK leader Richard Tice and included a discussion about immigration and asylum policy.

The regulator said it was looking into whether The programme broke rules requiring due impartiality to be " preserved on matters of major political or industrial controversy, or those relating to current public policy, and that an appropriately wide range of significant views are included and given due weight".

Bbc News has contacted GB News for comment.

There are three other ongoing Ofcom investigations into The channel - relating to Sir Jacob's show, Davies and McVey's programme, and The channel's Don't Kill Cash campaign.

Related Topics

Source of news: bbc.com

Next Profile ❯