Posted on 02/28/2025 1:43:55 PM PST by Twotone
Many have touted today's ruling in the High Court against Ofcom as a "win" for free speech. The initial optics are, of course, great and the usual suspects are taking a victory lap...
Tom Harwood's former employer Guido Fawkes proclaimed:
GB News Victorious Against Two-Tier Ofcom
Fantastic! The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that.
Unfortunately, after careful review of the actual decision in favor of GB News, I fear this will serve as a classic example of winning the battle but losing the war.
Why be such a debbie-downer? Well...
UPDATE: An Ofcom spokesperson says:
"We accept the Court's guidance on this important aspect of due impartiality in broadcast news and the clarity set out in its Judgment. We will now review and consult on proposed changes to the Broadcasting Code to restrict politicians from presenting news in any type of programme to ensure this is clear for all broadcasters."
Got that? This tremendous victory has now provided the rationale that will effectively bar politicians from presenting any television programs in the future – severely limiting GB News recruitment for their business model.
(Here, in one of the last free countries in the world, members of congress are prohibited by their own ethics rules to have outside employment. As a former senate staffer myself who tried unsuccessfully to gain a waiver to this rule during my transition to private employment, I nonetheless agree with it in general principle.)
The rationale in the UK, however, is not about outside earnings but about the inability of a politician to present "news" in an "impartial" way. As always in the UK of today, truth does not ever enter the equation.
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
so....is Guido related to Guy? had to ask.
Bunny
Pancake
This is for people who’ve been following Mark Steyn’s tribulations with Ofcom. He lost his position on GB News because he was questioning the covid vaccine mandates, & things have gotten progressively worse as it relates to free speech in the UK.
Codetalkers of the FreeRepublic Nation.
Yes, same thing, “Guy” is short for Guido. Orignal Guy’s name was Guido.
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