Former Sky News political editor Adam Boulton has stated that GB News should lose its broadcasting licence, accusing the UK's media regulator of failing to uphold impartiality in television news.
Boulton's Criticism of GB News and Ofcom
Boulton, who served as Sky News' political editor for 25 years following the channel's launch in 1989, expressed his belief that it may now be too late to revoke GB News' licence, despite its partisan coverage since its debut in 2021. When asked if he would strip GB News of its licence, Boulton replied affirmatively, stating: "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."
He added: "I think it's probably too late now, is unfortunately my conclusion. But should GB News have been given the status of a news broadcaster alongside Sky and ITV and Channel 4 and the BBC? In my personal view, no. That's why we had a regulator. But I think the regulator has failed."
Context of the Controversy
Boulton's comments follow a series of high-profile complaints about the right-leaning channel's coverage, including an interview with Donald Trump in March 2024, during which the US president was not challenged on claims about Britain, the climate crisis, and Islam. Ofcom recently announced an investigation into a programme that featured a repeat of that interview.
Boulton also called for a ban on what he termed "presenticians"—politicians who also work as TV presenters. GB News' lineup includes several figures from Reform UK, including party leader Nigel Farage, who presents a programme on the channel and, through his private business, holds almost 500,000 shares in GB News' parent company, according to Companies House filings.
GB News' Defence and Ofcom's Response
GB News has consistently maintained that it meets Ofcom's standards on "due impartiality" by featuring guests and panellists with differing views from most of its presenters and commentators. 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 that it had failed to regulate partial and misleading coverage, emphasising the importance of maintaining "freedom of expression" within broadcasting rules. 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 added: "Our due impartiality rules are designed to ensure audiences are given a diverse range of perspectives so they can come to an informed view on matters of public interest. As the code makes clear, 'due' impartiality does not require absolute neutrality and will vary depending on the subject matter, programme format and audience expectations. Ofcom does not direct editorial policy or continuously monitor output, as doing so would risk undermining broadcasters' editorial independence and the open debate that is essential in a democratic society."
GB News' Performance
Despite its chaotic start, GB News has established itself alongside other news channels and has outperformed Sky News and the BBC's News channel in average audience figures over several months. However, like most rolling-news channels, its audience is relatively small. In April 2024, it recorded an average of 89,500 viewers.
