(01-08-2023, 05:40 PM)derek500 Wrote: When anyone from GB News quotes viewing figures on social media and comparing them with Sky News and BBC News, they are bombarded by people saying they're not, according to Ofcom, a news channel and they should be comparing figures with entertainment channels like Dave.
What is the basis of this?
On the Ofcom licenses website, GB News is classified as News and Dave as General Entertainment.
As you ask, I'll cover what I've said before.
There is no such thing as a news channel in the UK in terms of an Ofcom licence. (therefore law)
All channels are either DTPS[terrestrial] or TLCS [sat/cable] and are either Editorial or Teleshopping (PSB 3,4 5 are different as they are specifically awarded rather than granted)
Sky News is therefore the same licence class as XXX GirlGirl, as is GB News and Talk TV
Ofcom regulate content, so any traditional news bulletins follow PSB style rules on impartiality. Topical news content with opinions etc is regulated under normal due impartiality and fairness rules that apply to all Broadcasting.
It's standard practice to mix content on channels, so news bulletins follow News rules, kids shows follow kids rules with different expectations around content style, rules about how things are handled and for Kids stuff rules on advertising content allowable around it.
So what GB News and Talk TV do is totally normal, mixing topical news Talk and news bulletins on one channel with different rules for each type. C5 do similar with Jeremy Vine leading to 5 News.
Sky News mixes content types all the time, its not pure news. Every sports and weather item between the sponsor bumpers isn't news (as news content can't be sponsored)