GB News challenge over breaking Ofcom broadcasting rules heads to High Court
GB News is seeking a judicial reviews to contest Ofcom’s rulings over breaches of impartiality in broadcasts, including the presentation of State of the Nation by politicians.
On Wednesday, the parties are in the High Court as GB News seek its first judicial review over regulator’s concerns about the broadcasting of State of the Nation.
Ofcom received 40 complaints when Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Tory cabinet minister, presented the show on 9 May 2023 and 13 June 2023.
The watchdog launched an investigation by last February as to whether GB News violated the Broadcasting Code, which prevents politicians from reading the news because of their implicit partiality.
It ruled in March that five programmes on GB news featuring politicians acting as news presenters broke broadcasting due impartiality rules.
The parties will be in front of Mrs Justice Collins Rice for a one day hearing.
The media outlet is also seeking a second judicial review over the £100,000 fine Ofcom handed it last October.
The watchdog ruled the broadcaster breached due impartiality rules during its flagship programme, ‘People’s Forum: The Prime Minister’.
Following an investigation, the watchdog found that the live broadcast on 12 February failed to present a balanced range of significant viewpoints or maintain impartiality in related content.
“Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on GB News,” the media regulator stated.
However, the second judicial review over the fine has yet to have a court date.
For its legal battle, GB News has a team of lawyers from Brown Rudnick, including partner Neil Foster and Ian Weinstein along with a senior barrister Tom Hickman KC of Blackstone.
While the regulator has an in-house team along with senior barrister Jessica Boyd KC of Blackstone Chambers.
GB News and Ofcom were contacted for a comment.