GB News, started as a serious news channel, is now a mouthpiece for right-wing populists.
Where is Andrew Neil? The Scottish veteran of the Sunday Times, Sky Television and the BBC had fascinated the industry for months with the cocky announcement that his politically incorrect news channel would soon scare the world’s most famous public broadcaster. The launch of GB News actually took place in mid-June, with great pomp and prominent political guests. Two weeks later, the 72-year-old chairman disappeared from the scene on the grounds that he had to “recharge the batteries”.
Or was it something completely different? In six weeks without Neil GB News put some of its technical teething troubles behind, some of which had brought the perfectionist Neil “to the brink of tears” according to eyewitnesses. But there can be even less talk of a “news” channel than before. Rather, it is becoming increasingly clear that the group of exiled billionaires, including hedge fund veteran Paul Marshall and the Dubai-based investment firm Legatum of Christopher Chandler, want a reflection of their own views for their investment, which has so far cost 60 million pounds (70.6 million euros) : Brexit enthusiastic, skeptical to hostile towards those who speak of the climate crisis, criticize racism and capitalism.
These bad Europeans
Instead of the Neil concept of a serious journalism that relies heavily on regionalization and is explicitly directed against the consensus of the left-liberal London (media) elite, but a kind of British Fox News blend, as critics suspected from the start? The Australian managing director Angelos Frangopoulos – and right-wing populist Nigel Farage makes sure of that. The Brexit fighter, 57, has been allowed to rant about angry Europeans, criminal immigrants and crazy left-wing radicals for an hour for three weeks at prime time.
The spectacular personnel became known shortly after the start-up’s worst crisis. This ignited from a symbolic taboo violation by the moderator Guto Harri. Around the success of the English national soccer team, he thought about the country’s simmering racism problems, according to BBC veteran and former spokesman Boris Johnson. Then Harri sank on his knee – in solidarity with the footballers who had shown this gesture until the European Championship final.
Many of the predominantly older, white, male viewers and boycotted GB News thought that was too much for the diversity of opinion. Harri was hastily suspended and later took off his hat in protest with the acidic remark that the station had degenerated into an “absurd parody”: instead of defending freedom of expression, “cancel culture” was being practiced by right-wing extremists. Shortly thereafter, editor-in-chief John McAndrew and his deputy, Gill Penlington, left the company – all three not only enjoy the respect of the industry, but were also trusted confidants of chairman Neil.
It can be doubted that the ultra-conservative, highly professional Scot would have hired the Brexit draft horse Farage on his own initiative. The television critic of the “Sunday Times” could only explain the appearance of the right-wing populist by saying that the station had “a kind of Armageddon” in the house.
After all, some interviewees elude Farage’s steamroller charm. A wine importer did not want to confirm that the exit from the EU had made its goods cheaper: “It just won’t be more expensive.” The former Ukip boss also got the wrong idea from the former chairman of the Liberal Democrats. He drank – how exciting! – A pint of beer with his host in front of the camera, but qualified the new trade agreement with Australia as a “chickenfeed”, much to Farage’s annoyance.
The polemics are lively
The ratings show that the politician has a loyal fan base: “Farage” has lively polemics to more than twice as many viewers as the competition from BBC News and Sky News, who expect boring news from the audience. Andrew Neil was last heard that he would return to the studio “in September”. You shouldn’t bet on it.
