A lot of people have been asking whether the UK has banned Fox News. The answer is no, the UK has not banned Fox News.
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Introduction
Fox News is a right-wing American cable news channel owned by Fox Corporation. The network is available in the United Kingdom, but there have been calls for it to be banned.
In January 2019, the UK media regulator Ofcom found that Fox News had breached broadcasting rules. The regulator said that a program on the channel had “significant inaccuracies” and that it had broadcast “material that was materially misleading.”
However, Ofcom did not recommend banning the channel, saying that it was up to individual broadcasters to decide whether or not to carry Fox News.
As of February 2019, Sky UK and Virgin Media UK both carry Fox News. There has been no indication that either of these companies plans to stop carrying the channel.
What Happened?
In August 2018, Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, found that Fox News had breached broadcasting rules by airing two opinion pieces that were “significantly misleading.”
In response to the findings, 21st Century Fox—which owns Fox News—issued a statement saying that it “fully accept[ed]” Ofcom’s decision. The network also said that it had taken “immediate action” to ensure that such breaches would not happen again.
Despite Fox News’ acknowledgement of the findings, some British lawmakers called for the network to be banned from the country. Labour Party politician David Lammy tweeted that Fox News was “not fit and proper to broadcast in this country,” while Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said that the broadcaster had “no place on our airwaves.”
However, it is ultimately up to Ofcom to decide whether or not to ban a broadcaster from the UK. And as of now, there is no indication that the regulator plans to take such a drastic step.
Why Did It Happen?
In the United Kingdom, Fox News is not carried by any of the major television providers. The channel was, however, available on Sky TV until recently. So, what happened?
Most experts believe that the UK’s decision to ban Fox News is due to the channel’s tendency to present “fake news.” For example, in 2017, Fox News ran a story that claimed that “ Muslim no-go zones ” were proliferating throughout Europe. This story was later debunked by numerous fact-checking organizations.
In addition to its fake news problem, Fox News has also been criticized for its biased and one-sided coverage of political events. For instance, during the 2016 US presidential election, then-candidate Donald Trump received significantly more airtime on Fox News than his opponents.
Given all of this, it’s no surprise that the UK decided to ban Fox News from its airwaves.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
On November 18, Fox News was banned from the United Kingdom. This means that the cable news channel is no longer able to be broadcasted in the UK. Ofcom, the UK media regulator, made this decision after finding that Fox News had broken broadcasting rules by showing “ prejudice and disrespect”. This is not the first time that Fox News has been banned in a foreign country. The channel was previously banned in Greece, Italy, and Russia.
This ban comes at a time when Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, is trying to buy Sky News, a UK-based news channel. The UK government is currently considering whether or not to allow Murdoch to buy Sky News. Murdoch already owns 39% of Sky News. If Murdoch is allowed to buy the remaining 61%, he would have full control of the channel.
Critics of Murdoch say that this ban shows that he is not fit to own a UK-based news channel because he does not follow broadcasting rules. Murdoch has defended Fox News, saying that it is “fair and balanced”. He has also said that Ofcom’s decision is “flawed”.
The future of Fox News in the UK is uncertain. It is possible that Murdoch will appeal Ofcom’s decision or that he will try to negotiate a deal with Ofcom so that Fox News can be broadcasted again in the UK.
Conclusion
After careful review of the evidence, it appears that the UK has not banned Fox News. While the channel is not available on most UK-based TV providers, it can still be accessed online. Given the current political climate, it’s unlikely that the UK will take any formal action to ban Fox News outright.
