Ofcom issues new guidance around politicians presenting news

Ofcom has issued new guidance regarding politicians presenting the news following a case that was brought to the High Court by GB News.

The updated guidance clarifies that politicians are not allowed to be newsreaders in news programmes and non-news programme unless it is exceptionally justified.

It also states that their political allegiance must be made clear and updated its definition of politician to include members of the House of Lords and representatives of political parties.

It comes after a High Court judgment quashed the regulators’ ruling against GB News relating to shows hosted by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg when he was an MP.

The ruling found that Ofcom’s decisions were “vitiated by error of law” and that it “conflated a news programme and a current affairs programme”.

Following the judgment, the broadcasting regulator launched a consultation and announced that its guidance, published on Monday, would come into force with immediate effect.

The broadcasting code states that news, in whatever form, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.

It also requires that no politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified. In that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.