GB News shows attracted zero viewers after boycott over taking the knee [View all]
GB News attracted zero viewers during some of its broadcasts this week, according to official television audience figures produced by rating agency Barb, after a viewer boycott prompted by one of its presenters taking the knee in solidarity with the England football team.
The channel has now said the decision of Guto Harri to make the on-air gesture on Tuesday in solidarity against the racist abuse suffered by English players was an unacceptable breach of our standards.
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Business editor Liam Halligan and former Labour MP Gloria De Piero attracted no measurable audience to their show between 1pm and 1.30pm on Wednesday afternoon. During the same timeslot the BBC News channel attracted 62,000 viewers, while Sky News had 50,000 people watching.
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The figures were recorded the day after Harris move, which led to widespread fury on social media from GB News viewers who pledged to stop watching the recently launched rightwing current affairs channel, making accusations that it had sold out and gone woke, secretly harboured Marxist values, or was in favour of Black Lives Matter.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jul/15/gb-news-shows-attracted-zero-viewers-after-boycott-over-taking-the-knee
Director of News at launch:
My view of our channel, and certainly how its going to be, is that it will be a very warm, inclusive channel where disagreements will be had, tough subjects will absolutely be taken on, but theyll be taken on in a classy and courteous fashion.
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CEO Frangopoulos has said GB News is committed to impartial journalism and looking for a range of voices and perspectives.
In a letter complaining about a Guardian column Frangopoulos said: GB News will be staunchly independent. That is our point. Our investors know this, our journalists will know it and so will our viewers. We aim to serve British communities who feel poorly represented by mainstream television media, especially outside London.
We are proud to be adding plurality to UK media by investing in journalism that will be as diverse and broad-minded as the British people themselves.
https://pressgazette.co.uk/what-is-gb-news-everything-you-need-to-know/
But if the viewpoint is one the horde considers "woke", even if
the majority of the UK support it, it's beyond the pale.