Ofcom has decided not to investigate GB News, even though presenter Bev Turner on her show “Late Show Live” denied that a riot had occurred in Belfast in June. The regulator received 446 complaints about the remarks. Turner had said there “weren’t riots” and no house had been burned down. In fact, during the unrest, cars and houses were set on fire, police were attacked, and families were forced to flee.
Ofcom justified its decision by saying Turner had expressed her personal opinion and was clearly contradicted by a guest in the studio. Political commentator Matthew Stadlen pointed to footage of burning cars and houses. Turner replied that it was “not that dramatic.” Later, she wrote on social media that she had relied on sparse footage in the early hours.
Critics accuse Ofcom of lowering the bar for compliance with broadcasting rules. Richard Wilson of Reliable Media said the question of whether a house was burned down is not a matter of opinion. Chris Banatvala, an independent media consultant who once helped draft Ofcom’s rules, called Turner’s statements “clearly misleading” and warned they could fuel conspiracy theories.
Source: www.theguardian.com
