Have you heard about the recent news about one of GB News’s leading presenters quitting the show? Mark Steyn, who presented the station’s 8pm peak-time slot, is already subject to two investigations by the media regulator, Ofcom, after he used his show to cast doubt on the safety of Covid vaccines. This has led some viewers to suggest the channel has itself sold out to shadowy globalist forces.
In this blog post, we will explore the reasons behind Mark Steyn’s departure from GB News and the implications for the channel. We will also look at how the channel is dealing with the situation and what this means for the future of GB News.
Mark Steyn’s departure from GB News is due to the channel’s attempts to make him personally responsible for paying fines issued by the media regulator Ofcom. This is a highly unusual situation given the fines are the legal responsibility of the broadcast licence holder, not the individual presenter. Steyn was also asked to agree to personally cover the costs of dealing with Ofcom and paying any fines for breaches of the broadcasting code.
GB News bosses are also warning of a tough financial environment, with the channel now financially supported by Sir Paul Marshall, the Brexiter hedge fund tycoon who also backs Unherd, and Legatum, the Dubai-based investment company founded by the New Zealand billionaire Christopher Chandler. On Monday Frangopoulos told staff that the channel would be “pivoting sharply towards financial sustainability and profit”, meaning cuts to the number of freelance shifts, reductions in taxi bills and cuts to the amount of money paid to guests.
It is clear that the channel is trying to protect itself from any potential financial damages from Ofcom investigations and is taking measures to ensure that its presenters do not breach the broadcasting code. However, it is also worth noting that Ofcom has no control over online streams – meaning Steyn is able to broadcast whatever he wants online to a potentially bigger audience without any intervention.
This blog post has provided a summary of the recent news about Mark Steyn’s departure from GB News and the implications for the channel. It is clear that the channel is taking steps to protect itself from any potential financial damages from Ofcom investigations. At the same time, it is also worth noting that Ofcom has no control over online streams – meaning Steyn is able to broadcast whatever he wants online to a potentially bigger audience without any intervention.
Source: www.theguardian.com