Ofcom has said it has “significant concerns about GB News’ editorial control of its live output” after rapping the network for Laurence Fox‘s highly misogynistic rant on Dan Wootton‘s show.
GB News, which is currently being investigated for around a dozen potential infringements of Ofcom’s code, was found to be in breach of the rules governing “generally accepted standards.”
For the second time, Ofcom urged GB News to “attend a meeting at our offices” to discuss the breach. “In light of the circumstances of this case, Ofcom has significant concerns about GB News’ editorial control of its live output,” it said. “We are requiring GB News to provide further detailed information about its compliance practices in this area for Ofcom’s consideration.”
The incident was by far and away the most complained about TV show to Ofcom in 2023. Fox, who was fired from the network in the aftermath, said “no self-respecting man would climb into bed with” a female journalist, Ava Evans. Host Wootton could then be heard laughing before he later apologized on social media, and Wootton is currently suspended from the channel.
Ofcom opened the investigation less than 48 hours after the incident took place.
In today’s decision, Ofcom said it had taken into account the steps GB News had taken to rectify the matter, including alerting the regulator to the incident the following morning, the suspension of Wootton pending investigation, the investigation and subsequent removal of Fox as a GB News presenter, the various statements including an apology made on social media, and the personal apology made directly to Evans.
But Ofcom said there was “no immediate apology in the programme, which [GB News] accepted should have been made,” and it wasn’t until a few hours later that a statement was made.
Furthermore, GB News told Ofcom that Wootton’s producer placed an apology on the autocue for Wootton to make on air following an ad break, but Wootton “did not read it out.” Wootton disputes this and also disagreed with GB News over how much advice was given to him to make an apology live on air via his earpiece.
Balancing GB News’ rights to freedom of expression, Ofcom nevertheless said the comments were “highly offensive” and “in our view a finding of breach is necessary and proportionate in all the circumstances of this case.”
“Ofcom was particularly concerned that these demeaning and degrading comments were directed at an individual and were largely unchallenged or contextualised in any other way,” it added.
The incident caused uproar almost immediately after broadcast. GB News is being investigated for multiple other infringements of Ofcom’s code and today’s ruling will again open up the debate over whether Ofcom needs to take more serious action. The regulator already urged GB News to come to its offices in May last year following breaches around Covid-19 vaccine comments.
The latest investigation to be opened was last month following Rishi Sunak’s on-air ‘grilling’ in People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, which attracted more than 500 complaints to Ofcom.