Ofcom Delays Publishing Research On Politicians As Presenters Until Finalizing Key GB News Rulings

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Ofcom has delayed publishing research on politicians presenting news shows until the UK media regulator has reached crucial rulings on GB News.

Ofcom committed to publishing the audience study last year but the regulator has told Deadline that it will now hold back the findings until completing its work on GB News.

A spokesperson said: “Our research project is ongoing and not yet complete. We will publish it in due course. Our first priority is to conclude the live investigations.” As detailed in a Deadline analysis on GB News’ regulation, Ofcom has five live investigations into whether the channel broke a UK broadcasting rule that forbids sitting MPs from presenting news shows.

Rule 5.3 of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code states: “No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified.” The investigations concern GB News broadcasts between May 12 and June 23, 2023, and include a show in which Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg broke the news to viewers that a jury had found Donald Trump guilty of sexually assaulting writer E.