GB News: Launch

[London Lite]

How professional does this sound. They get a email asking why there are no reports from the south East and Simon says we have just appointed a reporter for the South East so we're on it. Why the heck did they not recruit this person before launching?

It's the SW and I believe he was only hired last week. The SE reporter is Ellie Costello.

[Jon]

D'oh - another regional reporter also went to a wedding venue to report on the same topic as the SE reporter...

"Look at this beautiful barn behind me..."

Have they been doing lives with every regional reporter today? Surely it would be better to talk to half them one day half the next, leaving them to find news to make packages about in their patch for when they’re live the day after. Unless there is something big and breaking on their off day. Going to regional reporters just seems pretty much for the sake of it at the moment.

[Londoner]

I suspect it's only a matter of time before there's a COVID outbreak in the GB News studio and newsroom

[Worzel]

Alex just refereed to Tom Harwood as an alien in space, Simon and Tom's microphones aren't working either and now they're rambling about the Lobby WhatsApp group.

[EastAnglian]

Has anything actually been said about the social distancing / COVID measures being taken by GB News?

It's been obvious since they started tweeting photos of themselves in close contact that they don't give a damn, either about themselves and their colleagues, or the example they set to the wider public

Funny thing is some of the people on Twitter who were calling for Kay Burley to be sacked for breaching COVID regulations are the same ones who are fanatics of GB News who haven't batted an eyelid about this.

Says a lot....

I suspect it's only a matter of time before there's a COVID outbreak in the GB News studio and newsroom

Maybe they think if they have been double jabbed that it isn't going to be much of a concern.

[Ash101]

Has anything actually been said about the social distancing / COVID measures being taken by GB News?

It's been obvious since they started tweeting photos of themselves in close contact that they don't give a damn, either about themselves and their colleagues, or the example they set to the wider public

Dunno. I'm not suggesting they're not giving a damn, because isn't it law right now to ensure work places are COVID secure?

But if they are regularly testing all staff, or whatever, it would probably be useful for this to be public knowledge when it currently looks very strange seeing them as the only live shows on the TV with no distancing.

[London Lite]

It does feel like it's a sign of defiance on-air that they're not following social distancing guidelines when every other mainstream outlet is.

[richard110888]

How professional does this sound. They get a email asking why there are no reports from the south East and Simon says we have just appointed a reporter for the South East so we're on it. Why the heck did they not recruit this person before launching?

It's the SW and I believe he was only hired last week. The SE reporter is Ellie Costello.

My apologies about the wrong location. They should have still had someone ready for launch day though

[Londoner]

It is very obvious that they are not keeping to the spirit of the public health guidance in how their presenters, reporters and guests interact on screen.

Add to that the persistent stream of commentary (especially from the evening presenters) hostile to continued public health measures, and there is in my mind a real risk that the output could encourage viewers to put their health (and others') at risk.

[bbctvtechop]

Has anything actually been said about the social distancing / COVID measures being taken by GB News?

We've obviously spent the last 16 odd months watching things look a bit different. GMB, This Morning, Loose Women & The One Show are still practicing distancing on a daily basis and have made set changes to accommodate this. Whereas you watch any of the GB News output and you'd think it was from a post-COVID world!?

As far as I know, social distancing isn't a legal requirement, only advisory. Employers have to protect the health and wellbeing of their staff while at work, so the staff in Paddington are possibly having a lateral flow test done before being allowed access to the building instead of social distancing once inside?

We also see lots of staff milling around in the office areas behind the set, who don't appear to be social distancing either.

Doesn't excuse the correspondents standing right next to members of the public they're interviewing, and sharing AirPods being used for talkback is just stupid.

Like others, I can see large quantities of staff suddenly becoming "unavailable" when an outbreak occurs. Unlike social distancing, I think being "pinged" by the test and trace app, or contacted by contact tracers, means you legally have to isolate for 10 days.

[Londoner]

As far as I know, social distancing isn't a legal requirement, only advisory. Employers have to protect the health and wellbeing of their staff while at work, so the staff in Paddington are possibly having a lateral flow test done before being allowed access to the building instead of social distancing once inside?

Good practice would be testing AND distancing

[MrUdagawa]

Guest just called the completely wrong name by Dewbs. The same thing happened earlier with Gloria.

Dewbs: "I'm sorry, its just what's on the screen in front of me".

Michelle comes across as a grumpy student doing badly in a school media studies project.

[gottago]

I must admit I've really enjoyed watching the last few days which I wasn't expecting. Content wise it's very dull but in terms of presentation it's like an 18 hour a day Central News South and it's been really interesting seeing just how much can go wrong. Someone said yesterday that there's been a mistake every 2 to 3 minutes which isn't even an overstatement. It's almost like watching a production with a gallery operated by AI rather than humans. Fascinating stuff.

I think some of the ticker sentences, including the one featuring the lower case 'freedom day', has been on there for 24 hours now.

[London Lite]

Guest just called the completely wrong name by Dewbs. The same thing happened earlier with Gloria.

Dewbs: "I'm sorry, its just what's on the screen in front of me".

Michelle comes across as a grumpy student doing badly in a school media studies project.

Computer says no.

[dvboy]

I can't believe this made it to air

https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1404828598373060612