OFCOM has launched an investigation into GB News over a campaign which calls on the Government to introduce laws to “protect the status of cash”.
The media watchdog said on Friday that it would be looking at the channel’s Don’t Kill Cash petition after a complaint.
Ofcom said under its rules all broadcasters are excluded from expressing views on “political and industrial controversy or current public policy”.
These requirements do not apply to the broadcaster’s presenters or guests but to the organisation itself and people with editorial responsibility for the service, the watchdog also said.
We have launched a new investigation into GB News, related to its Don’t Kill Cash campaign. Read for more: https://t.co/9yWyuX8jTW
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) July 7, 2023
Ofcom added: “Our investigation does not seek to question the merits of the campaign itself.”
The GB News campaign encourages viewers to sign a petition, which says: “I call on the Government to introduce legislation to protect the status of cash as legal tender and as a widely accepted means of payment in the UK until at least 2050.”
The channel, launched two years ago, also claimed that “people who rely on cash are increasingly being left behind by the relentless march of technology” and “more and more shops, cafes and pubs are choosing to only accept card payments”.
Its campaign has already attracted more than 170,000 signatures, according to the GB News website.
GB News has been contacted for comment.
