Ofcom Issues Warning to Broadcasters on Impartiality Ahead of Elections

The UK media regulator Ofcom has warned broadcasters to maintain the highest level of impartiality in their coverage ahead of upcoming elections. This warning comes in the wake of five programs on the GB News channel featuring politicians as news presenters being found to have violated impartiality rules. Ofcom has reminded broadcasters of their obligation to prevent candidates in UK elections from acting in any on-air capacity during election periods. The regulator has also commissioned research to assess viewers’ understanding of impartiality and expectations of politicians presenting news and current affairs content. The results of this research indicate that while audiences value impartiality, they struggle to classify content as news or current affairs, especially when it contains elements of both. Ofcom expects broadcasters to pay close attention to the research and ensure strict adherence to impartiality rules, particularly as elections approach.

Scroll to Top