UK

Ofcom has imposed a £100,000 financial penalty on GB News for breaking due impartiality rules, it says.

An investigation by Ofcom found that the live, hour-long current affairs programme, People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, broadcast on 12th February didn’t present an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints and due impartiality wasn’t preserved through clearly linked and timely programmes.
As a result, the regulator concluded that the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a UK General Election in this programme, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Broadcasting Code.
Ofcom says that because of the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach it has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on GB News Limited and directed the station to broadcast a statement of the findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by Ofcom.
GB News is challenging the original breach decision by judicial review, which Ofcom is defending, but won’t enforce the sanction decision until those proceedings are concluded.
In a statement issued this morning, GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos said: “The announcement by Ofcom to impose sanctions upon GB News in relation to the People’s Forum, is a direct attack on free speech and journalism in the United Kingdom.
“We believe these sanctions are unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.
“The High Court has already granted GB News permission to bring a Judicial Review to challenge Ofcom’s decision that the Programme was in breach of due impartiality requirements.
“The sanction proposed by Ofcom is therefore still subject to that legal challenge.
“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.
“We have believed from the very start the People’s Forum was an important piece of public interest programming, and that appropriate steps were taken to ensure due impartiality and compliance with the Broadcasting Code.
“It was designed to allow members of the public to put their own questions directly to leading politicians.
“GB News chooses to be regulated, and we understand our obligations under the Code.
“But equally, Ofcom is obliged by law to uphold freedom of expression and apply its rules fairly and lawfully.
“At the People’s Channel we will continue to fearlessly champion freedom; for our viewers, for our listeners, and for everyone in the United Kingdom. As we have all seen, this is needed more than ever.”

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The BBC has welcomed the enhanced funding for BBC World Service following today’s budget.

Although Chancellor Rachel Reeves didn’t mention it in her speech, the UK’s budget document says: “In 2025-26, the settlement provides an increase in funding to the BBC World Service, protecting existing foreign language service provision and its mission to deliver globally trusted media, in support of the UK’s global presence and soft power.”
A statement issued by the BBC this afternoon says: “We warmly welcome the announcement of enhanced funding. We are pleased the government has acknowledged the strong case for investing in the World Service. As the world’s most trusted broadcaster, we are in a unique position to lead the global news and information market.
“Today’s announcement will enable us to maintain all of our existing language services, to continue fighting disinformation around the world, and also to provide emergency information services to those in crisis, as we have recently done in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.
“However, despite today’s announcement, the BBC World Service is not immune to the immense pressures facing the rest of the BBC – freezes to the BBC licence fee, materially significant global inflation, and the need to make investments for tech and digital upkeep.
“Given this, we will need to work through the details of the funding, and we will say more in due course about any changes and savings we need to make to stay competitive in the face of those continuing pressures.”

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Former Hallam FM and BBC Radio Sheffield presenter Howard Pressman is joining Radio Essentials to host a weekend show.

Howie left BBC Radio Sheffield last November following the changes in BBC local radio and will now host Sunday mornings 10am – 1pm on Radio Essentials across Sheffield and South Yorkshire from 10th November.
Howie said: “It’s been a year since my last radio show on BBC Radio Sheffield, so when the offer came in from Steve and the team at Radio Essentials to have a Sunday show, then I didn’t think twice.
“The new live show will be a chance to be involved again with some great listeners, who are as excited as I am that I’m back on the airwaves across Sheffield and South Yorkshire.”
A spokesperson for Radio Essentials said: “Radio Essentials is so excited to have Howie on board as we start to build a station dedicated to the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire. This is just the start of our journey to become the number one commercial radio station in Sheffield.”

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Gok Wan is to be the new co-host of Magic Breakfast with Harriet Scott from the end of January.

This follows Ronan Keating’s departure last July. Gok has been covering on the show recently and announced the news on air this morning, that he’s becoming the permanent replacement.
Gok will be joining Harriet permanently every weekday from Monday 27th January 2025.
Gok said: “I am beyond excited to be joining the Magic Breakfast team. I have loved working with the crew and of course getting to know our fabulous listeners.
“I have truly fallen in love with radio, and I don’t even mind the early mornings, I’m an early riser anyway!
“We are going to have a brilliant time, and I want you all to join us in the daily fun. Harriet is a wonderful co-host, and I can’t wait for our Magic to happen!”
Harriet added: “I know that our listeners are going to love spending their mornings with Gok just as much as I do. We’re all going to have some adventures together in 2025 and I can’t wait!”

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GB News Radio will be available on the Nation Player app from midnight tonight, in time for its Budget Day special.

Nation Player Founder Jason Bryant said: “We are delighted to welcome GB News Radio to our platform.  We have successfully attracted the UK’s largest independent stations alongside a host of locally focussed community operators.
“We are on a mission to become the leading commercial audio app and to monetise audiences for our partners.”
GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos commented: “GB News is committed to being as widely available as possible so that our viewers and listeners can easily find their favourite news channel.
“Coming in the wake of our record-breaking RAJAR figures, we look forward to GB News Radio being able to connect with an even larger audience through the Nation Player App.”

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Original 10STIX is being launched by Original 106 for North-East Scotland pet owners to help keep them calm during the fireworks.

This comes after pet owner listeners to Original 106 contacted the station following it mentioning firework displays taking place across the area.
The new station will soft launch on 1st November, with the official launch on Monday 4th November and will be on-air until Sunday 10th November, playing “chilled canine favourites to relax Aberdeen’s doggie population”.
Original 106 Programme Controller Craig Lumsden said: “As Aberdeen’s local radio station, we always make a point of pointing our listeners to the many properly organised displays around the city and shire. However, pets owners call Original 106 asking us to spare a thought for dog owners and to be aware of the stress Guy Fawkes night can cause.
So we thought we’d go one better and launch a radio station playing non-stop soothing songs for dogs, by dogs.
“We’ve even managed to recruit some of our listeners own dogs to send in recordings of their dogs talking to play between the songs – yes! A radio station presented by dogs.
“It’s going to be a must listen for all North-East dogs this firework season.”
Original 106STIX will be available to stream on smart speaker and via the Original 106 app from 4 – 10th November .

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