Rishi Sunak’s government has been urged to break ties with an advertising network linked to a boycott of the television channel GB News. The channel, which has been running since June 2021, has been the cause of much contention due to its self-declared role as an anti-establishment “disruptor.”
The campaign group ‘Stop Funding Hate’ called on advertisers to boycott GB News before the channel even had the chance to launch. Some companies withdrew their campaigns within 48 hours of the launch, while others released contradictory statements, making their positions unclear.
Countless reports have since pointed to further waves of companies pulling the plug on their connection with the channel in what GB News has described as a “massive advertising boycott.” During this time, the channel has been found to have breached rules established by OFCOM, Britain’s official broadcasting regulator, and has spent much of the time under investigation.
Boycottgbnews.org, a campaigning website from a platform co-founded by a former senior content producer at the BBC, said it is important to “deny this biased news channel our support by refusing to play any part in spreading its fake news agenda.”
Hoping to fight against this trend, a group of 46 Tory MPs has this week written to Mr. Sunak, highlighting the alleged support offered by the Department for Culture (DfC) for the Conscious Advertising Network. This network boasts the country’s five biggest advertising agencies, which make up 60% of UK advertising revenue and, as The Times reports, are said to have boycotted GB News. The paper adds that the network’s co-founders were members of ‘Stop Funding Hate.’
Responding to the DfC’s praise for the Conscious Advertising Network over its support for “brand safety,” the MPs, which include former Prime Minister Liz Truss, said:
This is having a chilling effect on free speech and media plurality. As more and more companies feel that they have no choice but to bend the knee to [Conscious Advertising Network] activists, we will be left with a media that does not reflect the diversity of views of modern Britain.
We urge the government to distance itself from this group and ensure that its politically motivated activists are kept well away from government policy.
The Department for Culture said in response to the letter seen by The Times:
This network has not had any particular influence on the government’s response to the online advertising consultation. Our work is aimed squarely at tackling illegal online ads such as scams and promotion of weapons and drugs, especially towards children. All views received were given due consideration, and mention of the network in the consultation document was part of a wider portrait of the current UK advertising landscape.
Tory MPs will hope for a comment from Mr. Sunak himself in the coming days. But some might wonder whether their concern is rooted in a love of free speech or a recognition of the role GB News could play in boosting their party’s popularity, given its willingness to face OFCOM scrutiny over a Tory MP news presenter and an interview with the Tory chancellor by two Tory MPs.
