George Galloway TV show rapped for bias
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A phone-in TV programme presented by former MP George Galloway has been criticised by the broadcasting watchdog for breaching impartiality rules.
Ofcom investigated after Mr Galloway's weekly, one-hour English-language programme, Comment, broadcast on the Iranian international news network Press TV, sparked complaints that it was biased against Israel.
The regulator concluded that "due impartiality" had not been maintained in individual programmes or across the series.
It said: "The broadcaster failed to engage or debate with any point of view that was contrary to the view presented by George Galloway.
"Rather, Ofcom is of the view that George Galloway, in particular, used the alternative opinions made by the viewers, which were contrary to his own, only as vehicles to punctuate what could be classed as a form of ongoing political polemic, delivered by the presenter directly to camera and unchallenged."
It added: "Alternative viewpoints were not adequately represented in the individual programmes or across the series as a whole."
Press TV, which is funded by the Iranian government, pointed to six examples from four separate programmes in which alternative viewpoints were presented but Ofcom said the views were "dismissed" by Mr Galloway.
This is not the first time the programme has been criticised by Ofcom.
In June last year, the watchdog ruled that Mr Galloway breached rules on impartiality after he accused the Israeli government of using "a Nazi tactic", conducting a "brutal apartheid-style occupation" and committing "war crimes" in various editions of his discussion programmes.
Mr Galloway, a founder member of the anti-war Respect party, was a Labour MP until he was expelled in 2003 over his opposition to the party's actions on Iraq.
He lost his battle to remain an MP when he failed to win the seat he contested under the Respect Unity Coalition in May.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments