GBNews: anyone watching?

[DavidinSouthampton]

Struggling to think of anyone presenting on either LBC or GBNews that's in the pocket of wealthy paymasters.

There is nothing inherently "evil" about the idea of GBNews. Behind the PR it's just a business which has strategically placed itself to be the television version of LBC and presumably make money long term.

Editorially on the ground, it appears to have got it bang wrong and at least 6 brands have now disassociated themselves and reviewed their advertising.

Throw in the mix of a technology car crash and (some very bad choices as presenter), rather than coming across as "right of centre" it's coming across as thick as mince. I'm sure they wanted a Daily Telegraph feel, unfortunately they have ended up with The Daily Mail if the Daily Star took it over for a day.

Murdoch clearly had an agenda, but I'm not sure Discovery Networks (who are a major investor) have.

Advertisers pulling out in their droves. It's a dead duck.

From what I have read, both Kopparberg and Grolsch at least didn’t authorise their adverts to be used in the first place, and Kopparberg made a strong statement about not wanting to be associated with such a platform.

Are GB News so desperate that they are advertising people for free and without even asking? How daft.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Yes, well, bears actually do shit in the woods, you know.

Not in fantasy GB News land they don’t!

 

[Silverhatch]

First rule of TV: get the production right and the broadcast stress tested before you go live. There might be talent in front of the camera but there appears to be little behind it.

 

[schmunk]

From what I have read, both Kopparberg and Grolsch at least didn’t authorise their adverts to be used in the first place, and Kopparberg made a strong statement about not wanting to be associated with such a platform.

Are GB News so desperate that they are advertising people for free and without even asking? How daft.

More likely an Ad Agency error.

 

[drew]

Most days, I like him and the aggressive interviewing/bullying of anti vaxers.

Well if you do listen you'll know that he backs up statements with evidence. Or, when politicians claim something didn't happen he'll play the tape of when it did. He has his views and when people challenge it he'll ask them to state the evidence to back up their arguments. They pretty much never do.

 

[clapham_gull]

From what I have read, both Kopparberg and Grolsch at least didn’t authorise their adverts to be used in the first place, and Kopparberg made a strong statement about not wanting to be associated with such a platform.

But they wouldn't have done. They get others to place their adverts across the networks, it's a specialist job where changes can be made last minute.

The company employed would look at the demographics, the viewing figures etc.. In exceptional circumstances a brand may not wished to be associated with a controversial programme after a controversial incident. Celebrity Big Brother for instance.

However, it's relatively unheard of to have a controversial channel in it's entirety. Especially with an agency like OfCom overseeing it.

The best explanation has come from Octopus Energy as to why they have now decided to pause their advertising. The responses of Kopparberg and Grolsch are pretty disingenuous in my opinion. They'd would have been better off being honest and explaining they'd given the decision where to place our advertising to others, who weren't (like us) expecting this shit storm.

This does remind me of the classic Stewart Lee sketch about the "values" of Carphone Warehouse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2firijxQOo

 

[The Fits]

As people have said- all they need to do is get views on YouTube etc. The tactic is working. Already seen loads of gbnews clips reposted. They're not going away in a hurry. As long as there's threads like this they're here to stay.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

308 posts on this thread suggests that they've got a reaction, if perhaps not the one they wanted.

Personally I won't be watching until they bring back News Bunny, the Weather In Norwegian and Strip Masterbrain.

 

[clapham_gull]

More likely an Ad Agency error.

More likely no error at all. No-one was expecting this.....

 

[clapham_gull]

As people have said- all they need to do is get views on YouTube etc. The tactic is working. Already seen loads of gbnews clips reposted. They're not going away in a hurry. As long as there's threads like this they're here to stay.

Which completely disregards silly little things like Broadcast Licences, Ofcom and fines. They could of course move just to the internet.

They set themselves up to test where the boundaries were, unfortunately they've got a bit pissed and fell over them.

 

[Weststander]

Well if you do listen you'll know that he backs up statements with evidence. Or, when politicians claim something didn't happen he'll play the tape of when it did. He has his views and when people challenge it he'll ask them to state the evidence to back up their arguments. They pretty much never do.

“If” …. yes, I tell the truth.

His show or anyone’s on LBC isn’t a three hour statement of fact. The very basis is his opinions.

Here’s a good example, listen to it all, as he destroys the leadership of Corbyn.



Or he might make a three hour show on the Barnard Castle trip or booing taking the knee.

They’re simply his take.

 

[GT49er]

I think theres a world of difference between presenters who have a set of political principles and often present issues through that lens and presenters who are hired to peddle an agenda of distorted news as they are in the pockets of their wealthy paymasters

Yes, there's a world of difference - but one person's "presenter who has a set of political principles and often present issues through that lens" will be another person's "presenter who is hired to peddle an agenda of distorted news as they are in the pockets of their wealthy paymasters", very much depending on your personal political bias. The two views - and the opposing biases - will never be reconciled.

We live in a polarised society - Anti Vaxers versus those who support vaccination; those who respect Covid restrictions versus lockdown protesters; people who think pulling down statues is the right thing to do versus those who don't; remainers versus brexiteers. Neither side will accept the other's arguments, and both sides will always applaud and echo anyone or anything that appears to support their view - whatever view that is!

 

[Hugo Rune]

Various brands are jumping ship now because the primary objective of the channel is to spread hate and sow division.

It isn't, it's a business not a political party. Unfortunately whoever has been in charge editorially has got it very very wrong and it's quite embarrassing for some of the investors.

The best explanation has come from Octopus Energy as to why they have now decided to pause their advertising.

Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, said the company does not advertise on "platforms whose primary purpose is the distribution of hate".

Why is this the best explanation when you don’t believe it’s true? Very odd.

 

[GT49er]

308 posts on this thread suggests that they've got a reaction, if perhaps not the one they wanted.

Personally I won't be watching until they bring back News Bunny, the Weather In Norwegian and Strip Masterbrain.

Don't forget the topless darts!

 

[clapham_gull]

Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, said the company does not advertise on "platforms whose primary purpose is the distribution of hate".

Why is this the best explanation when you don’t believe it’s true? Very odd.

Because if you had read the entire statement he explained how they weren't responsible for choosing the channels they advertise on a network like Sky.

However after seeing the content they have decided to pause their advertising for now. He has merely quoted a policy and hasn't made a moral judgement (yet) on GBNews.

That's exactly where the other brands have found themselves (dealing with Sky advertising sales arm) and haven't reacted with honesty by saying they didn't give permission for their advertising to placed on GBNews.

It simply doesn't work like that, they wouldn't have been asked. The only thing I find odd when armed with the facts is your response.

Technically, GB News isn't the platform - Sky is. Greg Jackson goes onto explain how this is their first experience of a major channel launch on a platform they are already associated with and how they are going to renew their procedures.

A very good and detailed response.

 

[GT49er]

Not in fantasy GB News land they don’t!

No, but the Guardian article linked was as predictable as the toileting habits of bears. And, TBH, I suspect that, whatever else, GB news are also aware of where bears shit.

 

[rogersix]

“Not balanced’ doesn’t mean lying.

The UK has been slowly going down the US route of propaganda from either side, either blatant (GB News or James O’Brien), shock jocks or TV news such as C4 which has a clear slant.

We’re poorer for it.

who is controlling the "slant" within ch4?

 

[Hugo Rune]

Because if you had read the entire statement he explained how they weren't responsible for choosing the channels they advertise on a network like Sky.

However after seeing the content they have decided to pause their advertising.

That's exactly where the other brands have found themselves (dealing with Sky advertising sales arm) and haven't reacted with honesty by saying they didn't give permission for their advertising to placed on GBNews.

It simply doesn't work like that, they wouldn't have been asked. The only thing I find odd when armed with the facts is your response.

Technically, GB News isn't the platform - Sky is. Greg Jackson goes onto explain how this is their first experience of a major channel launch on a platform they are already associated with and how they are going to renew their procedures.

A very good and detailed response.

I agree it was a good and detailed response which is why I quoted what I believe is the key element.

GBNews are obviously not a political party because like any commercial entity, it (should) boil down to being profitable. GBNews has clearly seen an opening with the popularity of the kind of uneducated and ignorant opinions splashed all over social media and normalised by people like Trump (and to a much lesser extent, Johnson) but perhaps they haven’t realised that the people who’ll be paying their mortgages by providing advertising income are probably not going to be pleased with this agenda, whichever agency sells their adverts for them, because it spreads hate and division. I suspect most people have had enough of that during Brexit and genuinely want to move on.

 

[Weststander]

who is controlling the "slant" within ch4?

Not control. Instead Jon Snow and Guru-Murthy appeared to have been given licence to go beyond simply reading the news in the way BBC news readers do. Not by statements, but a huge emphasis on anti-Brexit stories for example, predicting only bad news. Guardian-esque. With Jon Snow now retired and the shackles released, perhaps he’ll now talk candidly.

A Brexiteer friend watched C4 news on GE2019 night, to see the gutted-ness etched across the C4 News teams faces.

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

The sound is still very quiet even with headphones but my headphones cancelled out a lot of my local background noise so I could make it out.

It wasn't too bad,it they were a Friendly enough bunch and there was a greater variety of viewpoints than I was expecting.
Some of the stories being discussed were incredibly dull which made me turn over eventually.
Two girls got thrown out of a weatherspoons because of their clothing and a girl who pronounces "t" as zee but spells it "Xe" which got Dan wooton very angry and in my opinion he was a bit over the top and he seemed like a bit of a bully.
But then I was struggling to understand why these are even news stories in the first place.

But I will try and watch it again at another time of day that is not Dan wootons segment.