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Media reform campaigners are targeting communications giant Sky Media for ‘propping up’ the right-wing GB News channel, following a spate of Ofcom investigations and allegations that the channel’s coverage exacerbated this summer’s racist riots in England.
Sky Media is the advertising arm of media giant Sky, and has commissioned the adverts for GB News from the channel’s launch in 2021.
On its promo site, Sky Media says it reaches “over 93% of the UK population” by selling ad space on “behalf of a range of renowned broadcasters and channels including Channel 5, Discovery, National Geographic, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.” GB News is not included on that list, but it sells ads for the right-wing channel too, on both TV and online, as well as over 120 others.
Now campaigners at Stop Funding Hate have launched a campaign to urge Sky Media to drop GB News as a client.
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The campaign group argues: “Sky Media has spent the last three years propping up this toxic TV channel — both by advertising on the station directly and selling ads for GB News via its media sales arm, helping raise millions more in revenue…
“Sky claims to support diversity, yet they’re propping up GB News — a channel known for scapegoating migrants, Muslims, trans people and other minorities. Sky Media [is] helping fund their inflammatory content.
“We will send a clear message that Sky’s customers and the public expect better. Sky [must] live up to their stated values. With enough voices, we can push Sky to make the right choice and stop enabling hateful content.” GB News was contacted for comment.
Speaking to Byline Times, SFH director Richard Wilson said: “GB News has reportedly lost over £100 million since it launched…Many people don’t know that Sky provides their ads, and wouldn’t expect it.
“Sky positions itself as progressive. They’ve made commitments to net zero,