The debut of GB News was watched by more viewers than Sky News as well as the BBC News channel and Sky News despite a few technical issues during the opening night according to figures that was released on Monday.
The news channel on television that claims it will “lend an ear to some of Britain’s marginalised and overlooked voices” was began its broadcast around 8pm Sunday. It was launched with an announcement to the viewers by chairman Andrew Neil.
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According to the industry publication Broadcast, GB News peaked in its first minutes, attracting 336,000 viewers. That means it was higher than the 100,000 that watched BBC News across the hour and the 46,000 viewers who were watching Sky News.
Broadcast reported that 57 percent from GB News’ opening show’s audience was male. 52% were 65 or older, and 82% came from the ABC1 segment.
GB News tweeted its own figures, which were basing them on Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (Barb) information, announcing an 1.1 percentage audience share in the 7pm-11pm timeframe in comparison to 0.9 percent in the case of BBC News and 0.4% for Sky. However, the ratings for the news channels on Sunday were surpassed by the ratings of the major channels including BBC News at Ten commanding the highest ratings with a 30.6 percent share of the audience.
The event did not come without problems with technology however, with Neil Oliver – a historian who is now well-known for his recent stance against Covid lockdowns – having issues with his microphone, and the broadcaster experiencing issues with sound.
According to sources at The channel Neil is vocally expressing the case for his displeasure over some of the technical glitches.
The media have drawn parallels with Fox News and the new channel which Neil stated that it would be focusing on the so-called war on culture that is being waged by a variety of right-wing politicians, including top government ministers.
Neil has sought to establish GB News as an insurgent power within the British media that will stand up for those who believe that “their voice has not been heard.
In his address to the crowd on the night of the launch the chairman stated: “We are proud to be British – the clue is in the name.” Neil declares his primary place of residence on official documents as France when he signs official paperwork.
Some of the people who have helped finance this channel, with premises are located in the Paddington area of London, is the hedge fund manager who has backed Brexit, Sir Paul Marshall. Investors are Lord Farmer as well as Lord Spencer, who have been treasurers for both the Conservative party and the US television company Discovery and the investment fund based in Dubai, Legatum.
