Ofcom Fines GB News $130,000 Over Rishi Sunak Live Show; GB News Boss Decries “Direct Attack On Free Speech & Journalism”

deadline.com:

Ofcom has fined GB News £100,000 ($130,000) over its People’s Forum: The Prime Minister live show with Rishi Sunak just prior to the UK general election, with the head of GB News calling the move a “direct attack on free speech and journalism.” The regulator concluded that the prime minister had a “mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government,” which breaks the code around impartiality. “Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 ($130,000) on GB News Limited.

We have also directed GB News to broadcast a statement of our findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by us,” Ofcom said of the near unprecedented move to fine a UK news network.

GB News is currently challenging the original decision that found it in breach of the Ofcom code, and Ofcom stressed that it will not enforce the fine until those proceedings are concluded.

GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos called the move a “direct attack on free speech and journalism in the United Kingdom.” “We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful,” he added. “The plan to sanction GB News flies in the face of Ofcom’s duty to act fairly, lawfully and proportionately to safeguard free speech, particularly political speech and on matters of public interest.” Frangopoulos confirmed that the sanctions are “still subject to that legal challenge,” flagging that the high court has granted GB News permission to bring the judicial review forwards.