Sounding more and more like a media offering following in the footsteps of Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse), GB News has tried to head off claims of right-wing bias. Press Gazette has headlined its latest report on the newcomer “GB News launches recruitment drive for 140 jobs and declares commitment to 'impartial journalism’”.
Andrew Cole
“It is been widely reported that the channel will be right-wing, with some even predicting that it will be the UK’s answer to Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox [News] in the US … But today chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos said ‘we are committed to impartial journalism’”. Sadly, early reports that the channel is courting LBC’s Gammon Emeritus Nick Ferrari, and self-promoting TalkRADIO host Julia Hartley Dooda, suggest otherwise (The latter had far right agent provocateur Andy Ngo on her show today).
As does this snippet: “Chairman and ex-BBC presenter Andrew Neil … has said GB News will target ‘the vast number of British people who feel under served and unheard by their media’”. Those of us who remember Brillo as long-serving editor of the Murdoch Sunday Times, which indulged in AIDS denialism, crudely libelled the lead witness in ITV’s Death On The Rock, and otherwise cosied up to Mrs T, will not be reassured.
Nor will those who saw Neil use the BBC Sunday Politics to push climate change denial. But that is not the only driver of GB News’ potential editorial direction: there are also the media players in the background. Like Andrew Cole, about whom Byline Times notes “Cole is a director and board member at Liberty Global - a multinational telecommunications company with roughly 47,000 employees”. And what does Liberty Global own?
“According to the trading website Wallmine, Cole is also a shareholder at Liberty, reportedly owning stock worth more than $1 million. Liberty Global has an interest in mainstream broadcasting in the UK, owning 9.9% of ITV Plc, the company that effectively owns and operates the ITV network”. So much for Brillo’s non-MSM pitch.
Cole, co-owner of All Perspectives Ltd., the company which appears to own GB News, has an interesting LinkedIn entry, telling us where he might expect the channel to position itself. His recent likes include three Tory posts - two from Bozo, one from Matt Hancock.
But none by other political parties. And in response to a Google post on how to position oneself for that big job interview, he has sniped in response “Other tips from Google: - How to position yourself as something you are not - How to appear to be good when in fact you are a politically motivated negative force for the world - How to unethically squeeze your competition - How to influence politicians in unscrupulous ways - How to undermine a constitutional right in the US: free speech”. FREEZE PEACH! FREEZE PEACH!
What free speech would Cole seek to protect? His latest LinkedIn like: “Biden’s been in office 2 days and Democrat cities around the country are reducing Covid restrictions and opening indoor dining. YOU LITERALLY CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP! They ruined American businesses, livelihoods and lives for an election. This should repulse you”. Christine Yeargin, who penned those words, is an ambassador for Turning Point USA.
What should repulse anyone concerned is that someone with influence on GB News is liking wacko conspiracy nonsense. Ofcom is going to be awfully busy very soon.
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2 comments:
"...negative force..."
Hmmm.
Now who, just WHO, with an Orange Face has also used that term?
Neil was rightly lauded for his demolishing of that insufferable shapiro twat, but he recently soft-soaped candace Owens, who is an even more rabid than shapiro, in a recent fawning interview on times radio, so any impartiality he ever had will be left behind at the beeb.
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