[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[Thunder Bolt]

With LBC they've had MP's presenting like David Lammy & Jeremy Hunt but they have to face callers

On Gebeebies there's very little resistance, often just a bunch of people agreeing with each other pushing pro government propaganda.

Ofcom needs to act...

Ofcom is toothless, but whatever investigation does start is soon quashed, especially when Johnson wanted to put his own man, Paul Dacre, in charge.

 

[clapham_gull]

With LBC they've had MP's presenting like David Lammy & Jeremy Hunt but they have to face callers

But they can cut them off and rant all they like.

The model is different though and (my understanding) is specifically allowed because of the mix of presenters.

GBNews is becoming effectively a party political broadcast for a wing of a particular party.

I'm personally very uncomfortable with serving MPs presenting talk shows on radio or TV and that includes Lammy.

 

[clapham_gull]

Ofcom is toothless, but whatever investigation does start is soon quashed, especially when Johnson wanted to put his own man, Paul Dacre, in charge.

It clearly isn't toothless having already made judgments on their output, but it needs a review of its rules regarding presenters or least applying a balance like it does with LBC.

 

[nicko31]

But they can cut them off and rant all they like.

The model is different though and (my understanding) is specifically allowed because of the mix of presenters.

GBNews is becoming effectively a party political broadcast for a wing of a particular party.

I'm personally very uncomfortable with serving MPs presenting talk shows on radio or TV and that includes Lammy.

Agree I don't like it at all. These people have work to do for their constituents. I'd like to see the rules tightened....

 

[TomandJerry]

Boris Johnson will give his first televised evidence next Wednesday on whether he misled parliament over Partygate, the privileges committee has announced.

The committee, which is chaired by the Labour MP Harriet Harman, has said the former prime minister has accepted an invitation to give evidence at 2pm on 22 March.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It clearly isn't toothless having already made judgments on their output, but it needs a review of its rules regarding presenters or least applying a balance like it does with LBC.

 

[nicko31]

Need to get serious like they did with Iran's Press TV. Clean up your act or you're off..

 

[clapham_gull]

Already seen that live thanks, but there aren't and "news" programmes on the channel and that's where the rules apply.

The rules clearly need to change, but I'm not sure there is a lot Ofcom can do at the moment.

 

[A1X]

Well that seems like a fairly open and shut case, what weaselly worded excuses did they come up with to try and avoid having to do what clearly needs to be done?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Already seen that live thanks, but there aren't and "news" programmes on the channel and that's where the rules apply.

The rules clearly need to change, but I'm not sure there is a lot Ofcom can do at the moment.

Which is why I called them toothless.

 

[clapham_gull]

Which is why I called them toothless.

Hardly toothless, they fine broadcasters all the time.

I think viewers also need to separate their political beliefs what they disagree with on screen.

There is also nothing to stop someone launching a left of centre "news" (or not) channel.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Hardly toothless, they fine broadcasters all the time.

I think viewers also need to separate their political beliefs what they disagree with on screen.

There is also nothing to stop someone launching a left of centre "news" (or not) channel.

@Ofcom
rules are clear. MPs may not present the news or conduct political interviews.

 

[clapham_gull]

@Ofcom
rules are clear. MPs may not present the news or conduct political interviews.

If selectively quoted....

Politicians of ALL sides are quite happy to selectively quote to make the argument fit.

The actual rule (from the Broadcast Code) is:

“No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified. In that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.”

GBNews would just argue the programmes in question aren't news and "current affairs" programmes aren't defined as news. in fact they are called out as NOT being "news".

They are supposed to present a "wide range of views". GBNews could equally argue a wide range of views are presented, even if those are from a right wing perspective that can't agree that whether lockdown was a good thing or not.

They know what they are doing.

The media landscape (and public opinion) is changing faster than the rules can cover.

You have to remember that platforms in the UK like GBNews are very new things. It will take time for the Broadcast Code to be updated, it won't happen overnight and neither should it.

 

[nicko31]

That's the problem. The media landscape (and public opinion) is changing faster than the rules.

The actual rule (from the Broadcast Code) is:

“No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified. In that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.”

GBNews would just argue the programmes in question aren't news. They know what they are doing (unfortunately)

Of course if the government had their way we'd have Dacre as Chair of Ofcom to pave the way for a full blooded Fox News channel, Daily Mail TV!!

We need to give our heads a wobble and take a look at where Fox News has taken the US, its all went to shit in 1987 when Reagan burned down the regulation not dissimilar to what we have with Ofcom today.

After Jan 6 Fox wanted to put the genie back in the bottle, but its too late now. They created a rump of conspiracy theory nutcases, their business model now relies on it. Cue the court case with Dominion Voting ...

 

[rippleman]

Which is why I called them toothless.

Just like OfGen (mission statement "to protect the most vulnerable in society") did nothing to stop the never-ending energy price hikes.

The "Ofs" are just quangos dancing to the tune of their political masters.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just like OfGen (mission statement "to protect the most vulnerable in society") did nothing to stop the never-ending energy price hikes.

The "Ofs" are just quangos dancing to the tune of their political masters.

Yep. I had more help with my erroneous transfer from the CAB, than anything Ofgen did.

 

[Javeaseagull]

edited out, got it wrong

 

[rippleman]

Sunak and the Tory front bench couldn't keep a straight face when he started PMQs by saying that the Conservative party had been "delivering for the British people". But then they are mostly millionaires so can afford to find the current crisis a bit of a giggle.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Jess Philips held his feet to the fire over trafficked women and the Modern Slavery Act. He basically said nothing in reply.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Already seen that live thanks, but there aren't and "news" programmes on the channel and that's where the rules apply.

The rules clearly need to change, but I'm not sure there is a lot Ofcom can do at the moment.

'Announced in September 2020 and launched in June 2021 from studios at Paddington Basin, London, the channel became Britain's first television news start-up for more than 30 years, since the launch of Sky News in 1989.[1] It was set up with the aim of broadcasting "original news, opinion and debate", with a mix of news coverage and opinion-based content.' (wiki)

A chat with the Chancellor on Budget day, on a 'news start-up', isn't exactly going to be 'opinion-based content', is it?