The Two Matts Inside the GB News scandal - with Alan Rusbridger
Mar 19, 2026
Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian and editor-at-large of The New World, brings decades of investigative experience. He discusses The New World’s probe into GB News’ breaches of impartiality rules. They dig into Ofcom’s shifting enforcement, GB News’ partisan strategy and hires, and the broader stakes for regulated broadcast versus online platforms.
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GB News Operates As A De Facto Reform Channel
- GB News has evolved into a partisan channel that routinely breaches Ofcom impartiality and accuracy rules.
- Alan Rusbridger's team had 20 journalists rate 15 hours of programming against the Ofcom code and found systemic bias favoring Reform talking points like immigration.
Make Ofcom Proactive Not Reactive
- Regulators must proactively monitor broadcasters rather than wait for complaints to enforce standards.
- Alan highlights Ofcom's past detailed interventions and contrasts that with its current hands-off approach to GB News episodes like Bev Turner interviewing Donald Trump.
Social Clips Turn Niche TV Into Mass Influence
- GB News amplifies reach by chunking linear shows into social clips, claiming huge online audiences.
- Paul Marshall expects GB News to rival the BBC by repurposing broadcast segments into billions of social views.