Morgan’s comments provoked a backlash and sparked an investigation by Ofcom, the country’s media regulator, which received a record 57,100 complaints about his statements. But in all likelihood, Morgan won’t be out of the air for long.
Two new British media companies: GB News, former BBC presenter Andrew Neil, and Rupert Murdoch’s News UK TV are gearing up to launch. They are expected to replicate the controversial and personality-based political discussions that dominate American cable and speech radio, but which are largely absent from British television.
And Morgan, a high-profile, outspoken critic of the “awakened” culture, would be a natural fit.
“He’s definitely someone who generates publicity,” said Patrick Barwise, co-author of The War Against the BBC and Professor Emeritus of Management and Marketing at London Business School. “It would fit this model very well.”
Morgan’s next move
In a recent interview with on the BBC, Neil said Morgan “would be a great asset to GB News” and would be “delighted” to talk to him if he was interested.
“Could we find a role for Piers Morgan? Of course we could,” said Neil, who is the network’s founding president. “Any worthwhile network could find a role for an issuer of its caliber.”
Murdoch’s News UK TV declined to comment on whether he had made an offer to the former tabloid newspaper director.
“There’s a lot of interest in getting my services,” he told CNN Business, though he didn’t want to comment on specific offers.
Not long ago, Morgan, a former CNN host, would have had fewer options. While the UK media scene is defined in part by a free and often partisan press, its television news channels largely frame its coverage of the center. The BBC, ITV and Sky News maintain high levels of public confidence.
GB News, which launches a 24-hour news channel, and News UK TV, which has not announced details of its plans but are expected to produce more limited content for broadcast, could refound the industry.
“They clearly intend to shift the center of gravity of the news broadcast in the UK to the right,” Barwise said.
“He’s too good a journalist, with a reputation for protecting him, for wanting to partner with a news channel that distributes conspiracy theories and propaganda,” BBC presenter Clive Myrie told a conference on impartiality. of the news last week. “And in any case, Ofcom, the regulator, is watching.”
However, Murdoch, who also controls three major British newspapers: The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, is not known to have shied away from a fight. Meanwhile, GB News aims to break into the market by differentiating itself from other London-based stations.
GB News’ recent hires include Dan Wootton of The Sun, who coined the term “Megxit” when he broke the news. Meghan and Prince Harry would distance themselves from Buckingham Palace.
“I am passionate about GB News’ bold vision to bring a new approach to television news and debates that embrace all the voices and opinions across Britain, ”Wootton said when his role was announced.
Gill Hind, Enders Analysis TV analyst, said GB News “will play fairness in a different way.” She predicts that some shows may tilt to the left, while others cut to the right, causing bias to appear across the network. But all the shows, he predicts, will revolve around individualized commentators, a different dynamic from British television.
Can opinion newscasts work in Britain?
“For a new channel to be launched in this market that is not supported by an ITV, or a BBC, or a Sky, how will you get an audience in the first place? That will be incredibly difficult,” Hind said.
Morgan’s policy tends to be unpredictable and often seems anchored in creating some kind of public response. This could be an advantage for an advanced like GB News that will need to generate attention, Hind said.
If GB News can offer enough money attracting him, however, is an open question. Meanwhile, Operation Murdoch, which has had a strong execution, could obstruct Morgan, who may need to offer a party line, according to Barwise.
“My strong expectation is that you will want a place where you can express opinions and express them very strongly,” he said.
Even with Morgan on board, GB News and News UK TV would face challenges.
GB News, in particular, lacks the financial backing of a larger media empire. The network has raised £ 60 million ($ 83.5 million) from investors, including Discovery and hedge fund title Paul Marshall, but its fate is tied to its ability to get advertisers away from competitors. . Hind said there are “question marks” about whether brands will want to partner with the channel.
In the end, it will probably come down to how many Britons, comfortable with tabloid culture and some combative radio stations, are drawn to a more aggressive approach to TV news. Despite the country’s deep polarization after Brexit, there is some skepticism for the British.
“A lot of people don’t want to hear that 24 hours a day,” Hind said.