Martin Daubney (standing in for Laurence Fox)
GB News, 16 June 2023, 19:00 The above current affairs programme dealt with the topic of immigration and asylum policy, in particular in the context of controversy over small
boats crossing the English Channel. The presenter, Martin Daubney, gave his own views on this topic and interviewed the leader of the Reform Party, Richard Tice. Ofcom received a complaint about the programme.
We considered that immigration and asylum policy constituted a matter of major political controversy and a major matter relating to current public policy. When dealing with major matters, all Ofcom licensees must comply with the
heightened special impartiality requirements in the Code. These rules require broadcasters to include and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views. We found that Mr Tice presented his position on a
matter of major political controversy and a major matter of current public policy with insufficient challenge, and the limited alternative views presented were dismissed. The programme therefore did not include and give due weight to an appropriately
wide range of significant views, as required by the Code. The Licensee accepted that the content was not compliant with the heightened special impartiality requirements in the Code. GB News failed to
preserve due impartiality, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Code. Ofcom recognises that, in accordance with the right to freedom of expression, broadcasters have editorial freedom and can offer audiences innovative forms of
discussion and debate ... However... in light of the likely similarity of the views of the participants in this programme on the major matter being discussed, the Licensee should have taken additional steps to ensure that due
impartiality was preserved. We expect GB News to take careful account of this Decision in its compliance of future programming. | 
