More than 70,000 people complained to the regulator about the comment
After over six months of investigation, Ofcom found that GB News breached the broadcasting code when a presenter used a homophobic slur.
During an episode of Headliners on 22 January, presenter Josh Howie used a slur linking the LGBTQ+ community to paedophilia.
He made the comment while discussing a US bishop’s sermon urging Donald Trump to “have mercy” on marginalised communities.
Howie said that when the bishop “talks about the ‘full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons” that “includes paedos, if you’re doing the full inclusion there’.”
More than 70,000 people complained about the broadcast using an online tool created by the Good Law Project.
Ofcom launched an investigation into the homophobic comment in March. Seven months later, the regulator found GB News had breached rule 2.3 of the Broadcasting Code, which relates to harm and offence.
The regulator concluded that the comment “clearly had the potential to be highly offensive”, by “appearing to conflate or associate some sexualities and/or gender identities with paedophilia, particularly given how well established this is as a prejudicial trope against homosexual people”.
Over two weeks after the broadcast, Howie appeared on another GB News show to apologise and explain his comments.
Ofcom said that it “considered this action was adequate” and that “the matter is resolved”. Yet, GB News repeatedly defended their homophobic claim, saying it was “free speech”.
In June, GB News took Headliners off air in June, citing low ratings.
The Good Law Project’s defamation lawyer Matthew Gill said: “It’s good that Ofcom has finally decided that this dangerous slur should never have been put on air, but we need the regulator to hold GB News and its hate-filled broadcasts to account.”
He added: “Toxic programming must face real consequences. Ofcom must impose sanctions.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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