When Prospect’s editor asked if I would watch a television news channel across the month of February and report on its content, I thought: how hard could that be? The idea of watching GB News, however, had never previously occurred to me, nor to most British people. Viewership appeared to hit a record of one million at once for the channel’s 2024 new year’s coverage, until Barb Audiences—the organisation calculating the figures—corrected the number, to an average of just 33,000.
The channel was launched on 13th June 2021 by the veteran journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil, who was also its founding chairman. He told potential viewers: “We’re proud to be British—the clue is in the name.” America’s Fox News had been cited as a potential model, but Neil promised GB News would “not be shouty, angry television that denies people the space to have their say.” The channel’s mission statement or “editorial charter” insisted: “We are balanced and fair in our coverage and ensure conversations are insightful, respectful and set an example by treating others the way we would expect to be treated.” Three months after the launch, Neil resigned.
Farage has found his platform—the former Ukip and Brexit Party leader presents on GB News four times a week
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