Key facts
- GB News presenter Bev Turner claimed there were no riots in Belfast and no houses were burnt down.
- Ofcom received 446 complaints about Turner's comments.
- The regulator will not investigate the comments, stating they were challenged by a guest and represented Turner's personal view.
- Critics argue this decision sets a low standard for broadcasting accuracy.
- Former Ofcom director Chris Banatvala called the comments 'clearly misleading'.
GB News will not face an investigation from media regulator Ofcom over comments made by presenter Bev Turner, who insisted there were no riots in Belfast despite evidence of significant disorder, including cars and houses being set alight and attacks on police.
Ofcom received over 400 complaints following Turner's remarks on her show, 'Late Show Live,' where she stated there "weren't riots" and "not a house that has been burnt down." When challenged by a guest, political commentator Matthew Stadlen, with footage of burning vehicles and properties, Turner dismissed it as "not that dramatic."
However, Ofcom announced it would not investigate, citing that Turner's comments reflected her personal view and received "robust challenge" from a guest. The regulator stated that the programme did not raise "potentially substantive issues warranting further investigation."
Critics, including Richard Wilson of the campaign group Reliable Media, argued that Ofcom's decision sets a low bar for broadcasting accuracy, suggesting that as long as someone in the studio disagrees, presenters can make false claims about settled facts. Chris Banatvala, a former founding director of standards at Ofcom, described Turner's comments as "clearly misleading" and potentially fueling conspiracy theories, contrasting it with Ofcom's stricter approach to misinformation on social media.
Turner later explained on social media that she was speaking in the early hours, relying on sparse footage, and feared the disorder would be used by the government to introduce more control powers.