Free speech is ‘central to everything', insists Ofcom boss
Britain's media watchdog has insisted it remains committed to free speech after coming under fire from US officials over accusations of censorship.
Dame Melanie Dawes, head of Ofcom, said freedom of expression was 'central to everything' as she was grilled by MPs over the agency's approach to broadcasting rules.
The TV channel GB News has been found in breach of Ofcom's broadcasting code more than two dozen times in recent years over issues including its use of politicians as presenters.
The regulator has since dropped five of those breach decisions after the channel challenged the rulings in the High Court.
Speaking in front of the culture, media and sport committee, Dame Melanie said that while GB News had repeatedly fallen foul of the rules, its compliance record had 'significantly improved'.
'Ultimately that's what we're aiming for, to get compliance with the code, and to do so in a way that absolutely upholds freedom of expression and the freedom of the broadcaster to innovate – that's incredibly important – but safeguards those standards for the public,' she said.
Ofcom's new role as Britain's first internet regulator has been thrust into the spotlight amid trade negotiations with the US and Donald Trump's vocal support of free speech.
US officials have reportedly raised concerns that the regulator's new online laws, which are aimed at tackling illegal material and protecting children from harmful content, could amount to censorship.
TV channel GB News has been found in breach of Ofcom's broadcasting code more than two dozen times
That followed a blistering speech delivered by JD Vance, the US vice-president, in which he attacked European leaders, saying free speech was 'in retreat' across the region.
Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK must remain a pioneer of free speech, but insisted that online harms laws were not up for negotiation as part of any trade agreement.
However, Dame Melanie's comments suggest Ofcom bosses are keen to emphasise the regulator's focus on freedom of expression as the Government races to strike a trade deal with the US to avoid tariffs.
Ofcom is also facing criticism from GB News for its approach to regulation. Writing in The Telegraph on Tuesday, Angelos Frangopoulos, the channel's chief executive, accused the watchdog of having a 'jailer' mentality that was hampering the Prime Minister's growth ambitions.
The fledgling channel secured a big victory earlier this year when a High Court judge quashed Ofcom's verdict that the use of Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg as a presenter had breached broadcasting rules.
However, Ofcom is now poised to strengthen its rules to ensure that politicians cannot present news in any programme, including current affairs shows.
Mr Frangopoulos warned the proposed regulations would make it 'even harder for budding newcomers'.
Dame Melanie said: 'We're very clear our responsibility is to ensure due impartiality, but not to say what politicians should and shouldn't do beyond that … freedom of expression is central to everything.'
Asked whether the regulator's remit should be expanded to cover news programming on different platforms such as YouTube, the Ofcom boss said: 'There is so much plurality now, which in many ways is a good thing, but I think we have to be careful that we don't try to regulate everything.
'That's why we believe that making sure that the really high-quality, accurate, impartial news services that we regulate do have sufficient prominence, making sure that they're still there.'
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