Ofcom issues warning on due impartiality

Broadcasters have been issued a warning by Ofcom to maintain impartiality ahead of General Election due to take place before 25 January 2025.

New research published today (24 April) explores audiences’ understanding of news and current affairs content and their expectations of due impartiality when politicians are presenting. 

Ofcom commissioned the study in light of the rise in the number of programmes presented by politicians and the keen public interest in this issue.

Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Ofcom's Broadcasting and Media Group director said: “While viewers and listeners expressed a range of opinions, the feedback overall fundamentally supports the robust broadcasting rules we already have in place. People are clear that, they expect broadcasters to maintain the highest standards of due impartiality. It follows that, given politicians’ partial viewpoint, audiences don’t want to see or listen to politicians presenting news – full stop. But while many  are instinctively uncomfortable with politicians presenting current affairs, there was no clear consensus for an outright ban.

The report found that viewers and listeners strongly value due impartiality as an important requirement, especially for news programmes. 

People feel that news should be held to the highest standards of impartiality, and welcome the stricter requirements which already apply to it under the Code. 

They feel strongly that all politicians have a partisan viewpoint that would call into question the due impartiality of news if it was presented by them.

It found that audiences expect broadcasters who use politicians as presenters to take extra care to preserve due impartiality and suggest mitigations which could help alleviate concerns. 

These include telling audiences when a politician is presenting and the party they belong to, making the distinction between news and current affairs content clearer, and ensuring politicians present alternative points of view robustly and respectfully.

Ofcom issued a warning to broadcasters who use politicians as presenters in election programming to maintain the highest level of due impartiality, in line with our enhanced rules that apply during election periods.

Any breaches of election programming rules are likely to be serious and to result in Ofcom considering the imposition of statutory sanctions.