Former Sky News political editor Adam Boulton has called for GB News to lose its broadcasting licence, accusing the channel of persistent violations of Ofcom's due impartiality rules and criticising the regulator for failing to uphold standards.
Boulton's Criticism of GB News and Ofcom
Speaking on the Beeb Watch podcast, Boulton stated that he would strip GB News of its licence if given the chance. He argued that Ofcom has failed in its regulatory duty, pointing to what he described as clear and consistent breaches of impartiality rules by the right-leaning channel since its launch in 2021.
"Yes, I would. I think Ofcom has failed in its duty as the regulator … It seems to me that there have been clear violations of the due impartiality rules consistently from GB News," Boulton said. He added that it was probably too late to act now, but questioned whether GB News should have been granted the same status as established broadcasters like Sky, ITV, Channel 4, and the BBC. "That's why we had a regulator. But I think the regulator has failed," he concluded.
High-Profile Complaints and Investigations
Boulton's remarks follow a series of complaints about GB News's coverage, including an interview with former US President Donald Trump in March 2024, conducted by Nigel Farage. During the interview, Trump was not challenged on his claims about Britain, climate change, and Islam. This week, Ofcom announced an investigation into a programme that repeated that interview.
Boulton also called for a ban on what he termed "presenticians"—politicians who double as TV presenters. GB News's lineup includes several figures from Reform UK, with party leader Nigel Farage hosting a show and holding nearly 500,000 shares in the channel's parent company, according to Companies House filings.
GB News's Defence and Ofcom's Stance
GB News has maintained that it complies with Ofcom's due impartiality standards by featuring guests with diverse viewpoints, even if most presenters lean right. A spokesperson said: "GB News takes its responsibilities as a regulated broadcaster seriously and operates in compliance with the Ofcom broadcasting code."
Ofcom rejected suggestions of regulatory failure, emphasising the importance of freedom of expression. A spokesperson stated: "We strongly reject the suggestion that Ofcom is unwilling or unable to enforce the broadcasting code. We apply our rules consistently and fairly to all broadcasters, and we take enforcement action where necessary. Freedom of expression is something we guard fiercely in this country, and the bar for revocation of broadcast licences is rightly set very high and reserved for the most serious cases."
The regulator clarified that "due" impartiality does not require absolute neutrality and varies by subject, format, and audience expectations. Ofcom does not direct editorial policy or continuously monitor output, as that would risk undermining editorial independence and open debate.
GB News's Audience and Impact
Despite a chaotic start, GB News has established itself alongside other news channels, occasionally outperforming Sky News and the BBC News channel in average audience figures. However, like most rolling news channels, its viewership remains relatively small, averaging 89,500 viewers in April 2024.
