GB News fined £100k for 'breaking impartiality rules' over Rishi Sunak interview

Ofcom said it has imposed a £100,000 fine on GB News for “breaking due impartiality rules” following an interview with the former prime minister Rishi Sunak

Ofcom said it has imposed a £100,000 fine on GB News for “breaking due impartiality rules” following an interview with the former prime minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year.

Ofcom’s earlier investigation found that an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented and given due weight in People’s Forum: The Prime Minister – a live, hour-long current affairs programme broadcast on 12 February 2024 - nor was due impartiality preserved through clearly linked and timely programmes.

As a result, Ofcom 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.

Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has confirmed an imposed financial penalty of £100,000 on GB News Limited. They have also directed GB News to broadcast a statement of our findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by us.

GB News is challenging an original breach decision in this case by judicial review, which Ofcom are defending.

This is a breaking news story.