A newly published report has highlighted widespread anti-Muslim bias in British media, with GB News responsible for half of all UK news channel coverage about Muslims and Islam, much of it portraying them negatively.

The research, conducted over two years by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CFMM), revealed “structural and systemic bias” in GB News’ reporting on British Muslims.

According to the report, the channel’s coverage demonstrates an “excessive” focus on Muslims, verging on an “obsession” that “regularly demonises their beliefs.” The study found that stories about Islam are “overwhelmingly negative” and fail to reflect the diverse nature of Muslim communities in the UK.

The findings showed that GB News mentioned Muslims or Islam over 17,000 times in its output, representing nearly 50% of all such mentions across UK news channels. By contrast, BBC News accounted for 32% of mentions, and Sky News accounted for 21%.

The report also noted that Islamophobia was referenced on GB News 1,180 times, constituting 60% of all mentions of the term compared to BBC News and Sky News. However, these mentions were often framed in a way that “rubbished the concept of Islamophobia” and dismissed its significance.

Coverage During Far-Right Riots

The study also examined GB News’ coverage during violent far-right riots in the summer, finding that the channel was responsible for 62% of all clips on UK news channels associating Muslims with the unrest. This figure was three times higher than that of BBC News or Sky News.

The riots, which erupted across the UK following a stabbing incident in Southport on 29 July, were fuelled by false online claims that the suspect, Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old from Cardiff with Rwandan parents, was a Muslim asylum seeker. Despite evidence to the contrary, far-right groups continued to spread misinformation.

The report criticised GB News for “repeatedly framing Muslims as perpetrators rather than victims of violence,” while downplaying attacks on mosques and Muslim communities. The channel’s narrative, it stated, “risks inciting violence and discrimination against Muslim communities,” contributing to the toxic atmosphere during the riots.

Lack of Representation and Balanced Reporting

The CFMM report highlighted that GB News “rarely features Muslim perspectives,” often fails to challenge Islamophobic remarks, and portrays Muslims as a “Trojan horse” undermining British values. In comparison, BBC News and Sky News were found to adopt a more balanced and less negative approach to similar topics.

The report concluded that GB News fosters a narrative of hostility towards Islam and Muslims, asserting that “GB News hates Islam and Muslims.” It urged Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, to adopt a stricter approach to biased broadcasting that misinforms viewers, divides communities, and may incite violence and disorder.

GB News Response

GB News rejected the report’s findings, labelling them “inaccurate and defamatory.” A spokesperson for the channel stated that the report was “a cynical, self-serving attempt to silence free speech” and claimed it demonstrated the need for a news outlet like GB News to exist. “This is why we are succeeding,” the spokesperson added.