In July we opened investigations into GB News and Greatest Hits Radio for their respective ‘Don’t Kill Cash’ and ‘Face the Family’ campaigns. This article has been updated to reflect the fact we have now opened further investigations into these broadcasters relating to those campaigns.
Rule 5.4 of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code requires all broadcasters to ensure that their programmes – whatever their genre – exclude all expressions of the views and opinions of the person providing the service on matters of political and industrial controversy or current public policy. This reflects the statutory requirements in the Communications Act 2003 as set by Parliament.
Ofcom guidance explains the 'person providing the service' is the licensee, the company officers and persons with an editorial responsibility for the service – rather than the individual presenters or guests that appear in the broadcaster’s programming.
Our investigations do not seek to question the merits of the specific campaigns.
Update on new investigations, Monday 25 September 2023
We have today launched five further investigations relating to the Don't Kill Cash campaign on GB News. The additional programmes we are investigating, under the same rules as above, are:
- Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel, GB News, 6 Jul 23
- Patrick Christys, GB News, 6 Jul 23
- Britain’s Newsroom, GB News, 11 Jul 23
- Britain’s Newsroom, GB News, 5 Jul 23
- The Live Desk, GB News, 17 Aug 23
We have also opened four investigations into the following Greatest Hits Radio programmes airing the ‘Face the Family’ campaign:
- News, Greatest Hits Radio, 13 Apr 23 – This investigation replaces that previously announced in Broadcast Bulletin 478 which referred to ‘Ken Bruce, Greatest Hits Radio, 13 April 2023’.
- News, Greatest Hits Radio, 14 Apr 23
- News, Greatest Hits Radio, 17 Apr 23
- News, Greatest Hits Radio, 21 Apr 23