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The unfolding drama of GB News vs Farage TV.

(9 Posts)
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Graphite Fri 18-Sept-26 11:04:48

Reform’s £72 million could torpedo GB News with the launch of “Farage TV”, writes Michael Crick.

It appears some of the £72 million donation to Reform is earmarked for a new YouTube channel to promote … Farage.

archive.is/20260917141220/https://inews.co.uk/opinion/reforms-gb-news-farage-tv-4771721#selection-1705.120-1705.165

Extracts:

In the last few days, Geoff Marsh, a former Express journalist who was until recently head of digital at GB News, has been contracted to spend 100 days working out just how Farage TV would work. He looks set to become one of the channel’s first permanent signings. The initial target, I hear, is 25 new staff, many poached from GB News, as well as students straight from university.

For the man himself it would offer something else too – a convenient escape route, if he ever needs one, from the leadership of his party (and I calculate he’s quit from leading his various parties four or five times already over the last 20 years). Farage recently said his family have urged him to give up the leadership, and many suspect he may well jack it in before the next election. Farage TV, if it succeeds in getting a decent audience, would give him a respectable way of standing down while still playing a major role in Reform politics.

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Casdon Fri 18-Sept-26 11:08:42

Has GB News turned on Farage? I can’t think of another reason he would want to launch a separate YouTube channel, unless he’s thinking of becoming a social influencer from outside parliament.

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Cossy Fri 18-Sept-26 11:09:33

Fine, I won’t be watching it.

In my humble opinion, it’s only those already supporting Farage and floating voters who will be remotely interested.

This is called “buying an election” much like Musk and Trump.

I’m not a subscriber to those type of politics, I consider it to be deviating from democracy.

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Cossy Fri 18-Sept-26 11:10:30

Casdon

Has GB News turned on Farage? I can’t think of another reason he would want to launch a separate YouTube channel, unless he’s thinking of becoming a social influencer from outside parliament.

He owns a small stake in GB News and still broadcasts. I see this new channel as a way of “saturating” the general voting public.

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Galaxy Fri 18-Sept-26 11:14:07

You tube is different to a mainstream newschannel though, they are different audiences in a way.
I sort of think the right took advantage of the new media earlier than the left.

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Casdon Fri 18-Sept-26 11:14:43

I meant is GB News reporting on the Reform traumas Cossy, which can’t help but bring his leadership into question, and if that has made him feel it doesn’t offer the vehicle he needs? I presume that it is.

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Whitewavemark2 Fri 18-Sept-26 11:17:53

I’m not remotely surprised. This money was always going to buy votes. Expect a huge amount of this.

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Casdon Fri 18-Sept-26 11:19:57

Galaxy

You tube is different to a mainstream newschannel though, they are different audiences in a way.
I sort of think the right took advantage of the new media earlier than the left.

There are already loads of YouTube channels covering the news from all perspectives. I don’t think the right has stolen a march at all on that, myself. Times Radio is great for covering the political ins and outs too, without an obvious bias, but with really good interviewers and interviewees.

Whether these channels cover a different audience I’m not sure - I think a lot of people watch online news, but the mainstream channels still get by far the biggest audiences. I think people who are interested may well watch a range of them, I do myself, but as for dedicated audiences, I’m unconvinced that that is a huge number of people.

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Cossy Fri 18-Sept-26 11:45:43

Casdon

I meant is GB News reporting on the Reform traumas Cossy, which can’t help but bring his leadership into question, and if that has made him feel it doesn’t offer the vehicle he needs? I presume that it is.

I’d bet that they will not be doing anything which “criticises” Farage, though I’m aware they do have some very good journalists/reporters/presenters working and freelancing for GB News.

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