The chairman of the new television station GB News has slammed big businesses for pulling sponsorships in a monologue on the channel.
Andrew Neil, on GB News’ program Media Watch, attacked companies who have said that they were pulling advertising for the channel, accusing them of caving to “far-left agitators”.
Several big companies are reported to have considered pulling advertising from the TV station. These include Vodafone, IKEA, Nivea, Kopparberg, Grolsch, the Open University, Octopus Energy, Ovo Energy and LV.
On the programme, Mr Neil said of these big businesses:
“They have all taken the knee to Stop Funding Hate. It is important they – and you – realise to whom they are in thrall. Stop Funding Hate does not stand for a liberal, inclusive society. It is dominated by far-left agitators and cranks that push for advertiser boycotts of any media organisation with which it disagrees.”
The presenter continued by sending a thinly veiled threat to the businesses, highlighting the impact pulling their support could have for their business. He said:
“GB News viewers are incensed with advertisers who’ve taken against us. Many have written to tell them so. And their numbers are growing. For three nights in a row, this show has been the number-one-rated show on any news channel available in the UK. Add our audience, friends, allies and sympathisers together, and we can muster millions of supporters on social media. Not a good idea to be on the wrong end of them.”
Mr Neil did say that GB News would not be initiating a boycott of these companies.
The heads of the businesses were also invited by Mr Neil to come to the studio if they had concerns about any of the content.
He said: “Not a single example of hate has been given in evidence for this boycott, so this programme offers a standing invitation to the boss of any company that thinks to the contrary… our studio door is always open.”
There has been an attempt by the group Stop Funding Hate to get advertisers to cease support for GB News dating back a number of months. The channel has only been live for less than a week.
