No change from Ofcom

Ofcom, over 31 pages, lays into GB News for its "Don't Kill Cash" campaign. GB News clearly tweaked the Ofcom tail in the discussions ahead of the finding. At one stage, the network complained “in every aspect of this case where a matter seems marginal or open to doubt or differing interpretations, Ofcom has simply substituted its own judgement for that of GB News rather than leaving what are essentially editorial decisions to the broadcaster”

Undaunted, Ofcom found them in breach, for expressions of the views and opinions of the

Licensee on a matter of political controversy and a matter relating to current public policy, without due impartiality. 

'In its representations the Licensee said that “the decline in usage of cash is not a policy” advocated or opposed by any political party and does not “figure in any Bill or manifesto”. However, we noted that opposition to a cashless society did feature as a policy of the political party Reform UK.' 

'In Ofcom’s view the stated aim of the Campaign was not simply to test public opinion on an interesting talking point, but to call on the Government to change the law to “protect the status of cash as legal tender and as a widely accepted means of payment in the UK until at least 2050" '.

Was it driven by GB News ? Ofcom notes 'GB News firstly, organised the Petition, placing and promoting it on its website, and then also broadcast references to the Campaign in the Programme, consistently referring to it as a GB News campaign or “our petition”; and secondly, did so with the stated aim of influencing UK Government policy through a call to action to GB News’ viewers to sign the Petition available on the Licensee’s website. It was clearly evident from the Programme that the Campaign was GB News branded and expressing the view of the Licensee on this matter.'

'This reason was restated by Dan Falvey, GB News’ Head of Digital News, in Britain’s
Newsroom, GB News on 4 July 2023'

“And this all started really just a couple of weeks ago. Rishi Sunak was asked in the House of
Commons by a Conservative MP, would he help ensure that cash continue to have to be
accepted by businesses to help the elderly, the vulnerable, those who don’t have access to
bank accounts. And he said, ‘this is up to individual businesses and for individual businesses to
decide’. And we at GB News said, ‘That’s not enough. That’s not [inaudible] enough. We need
to take action on this”.