New Alternative News Channel "GB News" chaired by Andrew Neil launching - read OP before posting

Would love to be a fly on the wall in the studio with one hour to go.....

Watching it now. Interested to see what it's like. I love Neil Oliver - wonderful presenter with such an infectious passion for the beauty of his home land.

I'm betting I'll disagree with lots of the views espoused but will agree with others, and I welcome diversity of opinion, and truth.

Sudden Valley

Probably terrible timing to launch channel with most controversial subject matters like brexit, Corbyn, trump, even covid disappearing. They sound like they are conservative leaning and considering Labour are so directionless at the moment there is not much to hate. I wonder who is financing this station?

dublinman1990

Simon McCoy was interviewed by the telegraph recently. He said that he was not 'a leftie' BBC journalist and voted leave. He elaborated by saying it was very unwise to state to BBC bosses and employees after the referendum that you voted leave for Brexit rather than Remain. The viewpoints are not subjected to a tight stranglehold when you're working for GB News. You could openly say you either say that you voted leave or remain.

So far it's anti Covid measures. I hope they give balance and the view from someone who agrees the measures are crap but what's the alternative when the virus needs to be contained, otherwise it could kill huge numbers of vulnerable people (like Italy) and overwhelm the health service and lead to the need for extra resources to transport the bodies.

Guy:Incognito

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Simon McCoy was interviewed by the telegraph recently. He said that he was not 'a leftie' BBC journalist and voted leave. He elaborated by saying it was very unwise to state to BBC bosses and employees after the referendum that you voted leave for Brexit rather than Remain. The viewpoints are not subjected to a tight stranglehold when you're working for GB News. You could openly say you either say that you voted leave or remain.

Of course hes going to say that, its exactly what the target audience for the channel want to hear.

dont mind the msm, listen to the truth from us instead **whispers** a group of lifelong msm journalists **whispers**

Definately going for the UK fox news viewer type.

Atlantic Dawn

Lurleen wrote: »

So far it's anti Covid measures. I hope they give balance and the view from someone who agrees the measures are crap but what's the alternative when the virus needs to be contained, otherwise it could kill huge numbers of vulnerable people (like Italy) and overwhelm the health service and lead to the need for extra resources to transport the bodies.

Italy is under control, did you not see the Euro 2020 match on Friday night in Rome with 16,000 people in attendance. Meanwhile in Ireland we stage an outdoor concert for 500 people on Thursday night and you would think we landed men on the moon. Vaccines are here, it's not like last year, a completely different approach is needed both here and UK.

Sudden Valley

The covid restrictions will be gone in a month. Interesting to see what they will focus on after that. I don't think there enough woke topics to discuss in the UK compared to what fox news focus on in the US.

Burt Renaults

The TV equivalent of Boards - a load of middle-aged people saying 'woke' an awful lot.

I know it doesn't have the funds to compete on a level playing field with Sky or the BBC, but I wasn't expecting it to look so obviously poor. Production standards remind me of Vincent Browne's old TV3 show.

Middle aged - oh the humanity.

Atlantic Dawn

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Italy is under control, did you not see the Euro 2020 match on Friday night in Rome with 16,000 people in attendance. Meanwhile in Ireland we stage an outdoor concert for 500 people on Thursday night and you would think we landed men on the moon. Vaccines are here, it's not like last year, a completely different approach is needed both here and UK.

Some have always condemned the measures though.

Joe_ Public

Lurleen wrote: »

Some have always condemned the measures though.

The aforementioned Neil Oliver is quoted elsewhere this morning as suggesting lockdown was the biggest mistake in the history of mankind, ever, so i imagine he's intending to bring more of that sober, incisive historical analysis to that particular topic among others.

Melanchthon

Sudden Valley wrote: »

Probably terrible timing to launch channel with most controversial subject matters like brexit, Corbyn, trump, even covid disappearing. They sound like they are conservative leaning and considering Labour are so directionless at the moment there is not much to hate. I wonder who is financing this station?

I think if they have a budget for some investigative journalism they could fill the airwaves. They could focus on some of the ridiculous thing that happen at a council level or in the state bodies. If they aren't too tied too the Conservative party plenty too attack there too.

They could generate plenty of outrage and engagement on these topics but I imagine it will just be the lighter side of the culture wars.

Joe_ Public

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The aforementioned Neil Oliver is quoted elsewhere this morning as suggesting lockdown was the biggest mistake in the history of mankind, ever, so i imagine he's intending to bring more of that sober, incisive historical analysis to that particular topic among others.

I can't deny that while I like him, he's gone a bit irrational on this matter.

MisterAnarchy

Sudden Valley wrote: »

I wonder who is financing this station?

You dont have to wonder, its backed by Discovery and several other mostly non-British based financiers to the tune of £60 million.
Discovery, the American media group, has committed £20m to fund the launch.
Between them, Discovery, Sir Paul - co-founder of the hedge fund Marshall Wace - and Legatum, which partly funds the think-tank The Legatum Institute, account for the vast majority of the £60m funding raised by the new venture.
Lack of money isnt an issue.

Joe_ Public

Lord Sugar on to answer The Big Questions. So Lord Sugar, what lies in store for Britain over the next 5 years as we emerge from the crisis. "I don't know."

Riveting stuff so far!

Sudden Valley

I think it will be a channel favourable to contributors that are professuonal contrarians. But I think most people accept that at least some lockdown was necessary so seems more like an argument that was had a few months ago. Will be interesting what position they will take in regard to elections, they seem to share a few views with Boris.

greenfield21

I turned it on at about 9.45 when Boris was talking and then it cut from the host talking to ads. Watched the ads then I turned over lol. The ads were actually quite interesting I've never seen a Google ad on the tv before. I think there was also something previously about boycotting companies who placed ads so that could be difficult. Studio is terrible as well. Needs a bit a work

Larbre34

Is the whole thing satire? Not Armando Iannucci or anything, just really bad satire.

Channel 515 on Sky is about right. It'll be dust by Christmas.

Wanderer78

MisterAnarchy wrote:

This should be a welcome addition to counter the far left /woke media so prevalent now.

Hahaha, you're funny!

Hangdogroad

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The aforementioned Neil Oliver is quoted elsewhere this morning as suggesting lockdown was the biggest mistake in the history of mankind, ever, so i imagine he's intending to bring more of that sober, incisive historical analysis to that particular topic among others.

The Scottish guy who presents Coast? I enjoy that show for what it is but that's Gemma level stuff.

_Kaiser_

Forgot all about this last night but stuck it on there out of curiosity. Fella running a textile mill being interviewed just outside the factory floor. Sound quality is appalling because of the background noise... and as I type this now there's an echo from them speaking.

Bit amateurish

Thelonious Monk

Burt Renaults wrote: »

The TV equivalent of Boards - a load of middle-aged people saying 'woke' an awful lot.

I know it doesn't have the funds to compete on a level playing field with Sky or the BBC, but I wasn't expecting it to look so obviously poor. Production standards remind me of Vincent Browne's old TV3 show.

The Guardian did a podcast about this channel and I immediately thought its natural audience would be the boards.ie current affairs crowd!
Doubt it'll last long.

cameramonkey

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The aforementioned Neil Oliver is quoted elsewhere this morning as suggesting lockdown was the biggest mistake in the history of mankind, ever, so i imagine he's intending to bring more of that sober, incisive historical analysis to that particular topic among others.

Of course he is not a historian. Anyone who watches any of his TV shows would work that out quickly enough.

Annasopra

Dank Janniels wrote: »

Logo looks like its GBNI. A subconscious attempt at strengthening of the union perhaps? Lol

Thats what I thought

Annasopra

archfi wrote: »

Not a fan of rolling news channels but will give this a scan when I can.

Andrew Doyle is worth a watch on any channel.

So worth a watch you get his name wrong

cameramonkey

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

You dont have to wonder, its backed by Discovery and several other mostly non-British based financiers to the tune of £60 million.
Discovery, the American media group, has committed £20m to fund the launch.
Between them, Discovery, Sir Paul - co-founder of the hedge fund Marshall Wace - and Legatum, which partly funds the think-tank The Legatum Institute, account for the vast majority of the £60m funding raised by the new venture.
Lack of money isnt an issue.

Broadcast businesses eat through money very quickly so money may become an issue quickly if they don't get a good income stream. Have they much advertising revenue I wonder?

TomTomTim

Why are people watching something they know that they'll hate? There seems to be more interest here from critics than would be viewers. Like those lads in America, who sit around watching Fox News, just to find something to be offended by. There's something seriously wrong with modern humans, when they are almost more motivated by things that they hate than things that they love.

cameramonkey

TomTomTim wrote: »

Why are people watching something they know that they'll hate? There seems to be more interest here from critics than would be viewers. Like those lads in America, who sit around watching Fox News, just to find something to be offended by. There's something seriously wrong with modern humans, when they are almost more motivated by things that they hate than things that they love.

Physician heal thyself.

_Kaiser_

TomTomTim wrote: »

Why are people watching something they know that they'll hate? There seems to be more interest here from critics than would be viewers. Like those lads in America, who sit around watching Fox News, just to find something to be offended by. There's something seriously wrong with modern humans, when they are almost more motivated by things that they hate than things that they love.

I think it's a consequence of modern social media where anything "controversial" is entirely polarised and has a "you're with us or against us" vibe.

As such you'll get people watching things they disagree with and hoping it'll fail to 1) call out how right they were and 2) get that much needed validation from like-minded others.

Personally, slightly dodgy production values aside, I think a different take is a good thing and to be encouraged. It might also encourage discussion on topics that are "off limits"/downplayed by other outlets