Three months after the much-announced launch, the future of the new British private broadcaster GB News is uncertain. The resignation of Andrew Neil as chairman and leading presenter, which, according to loud rumors, was not unexpected, has plunged the station into an existential crisis. The former editor-in-chief of the Sunday Times and host of political BBC programs had been hired as the front man of the station, which positions itself as a patriotic counterweight to the BBC in order to attract viewers who no longer felt addressed by the public service broadcaster because it was the Think the left-liberal elite is too closely connected. Neil had always denied that GB News wanted to be a British version of American Fox News. His departure, however, indicates a shift to the right.This is also supported by the attitude of the Brexit pioneer Nigel Farage as moderator of a weekday show during prime time. This space was originally reserved for Andrew Neil. Two weeks after the start, which was marred by numerous technical breakdowns, he said goodbye to his home in the south of France in order to gather “new strength”, as he said.
Gina Thomas
Features correspondent based in London.
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Now rumors are circulating about disputes with the managing director Angelos Frangopoulos and a fight over direction that divides the workforce. Neil gave the reason for his resignation that he wanted to reduce his extensive workload. Frangopolous was deeply disappointed about the termination. Neil signed a multi-year contract "so we hoped he would stay longer". The respected moderator will remain with the broadcaster as a conversation partner. In this capacity he was questioned by Farage about China's influence on British universities immediately after his resignation was announced. Except for a remark by Farage that Neil and he disagreed on their assessment of former American President Trump, not a word was said about a possible difference of opinion.
GB News has already gone through a number of crises in the short period of its existence. Four days after the launch, several companies gave in to the pressure of a campaign calling for an advertising boycott. A little later, the moderator Guto Harri, once Boris Johnson's spokesman during his time as London Mayor, was temporarily removed from the station because he went down on his knees in front of the camera out of sympathy in connection with the racism dispute over the members of the British national team. Harri submitted his resignation. The presumption that the broadcaster relying on opinion will move in the direction of Fox News is fueled by low ratings, which are sometimes barely measurable. On average, they are estimated at up to 30,000.