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GB News to consider suing advertising agencies over boycott

Broadcaster ‘closely monitoring’ Elon Musk’s lawsuit against global advertising trade body

GB News has said it is “closely monitoring” Elon Musk’s lawsuit against advertisers in a sign it is preparing to launch its own legal action over brand boycotts. 
The threat of legal action comes after Mr Musk revealed on Tuesday night that X, formerly known as Twitter, declared “war” on a global coalition of advertisers and brands over claims they illegally boycotted his social media platform. 
Rumble, a YouTube rival that claims it is “immune to cancel culture” and is popular with conservative online users, has also filed a similar lawsuit.
We tried peace for 2 years, now it is war https://t.co/elgT62uDtF
The legal action has triggered an immediate response from GB News, which has been battling a boycott by scores of brands that have refused to advertise on the channel.
A spokesman for the TV broadcaster said: “GB News notes the antitrust action commenced by media companies X and Rumble against the advertising industry. We will be closely monitoring its progress.”
GB News was launched three years ago as a challenger to traditional broadcasters such as the BBC and Sky.
However, brands such as Ikea and Nivea suspended ads on the channel out of fear of being associated with controversial content.
GB News is at risk of a fine from regulator Ofcom after breaching a string of broadcasting rules, including impartiality and its use of politicians as presenters, such as Reform’s Nigel Farage.
The ad boycott is believed to have taken a significant toll on finances at GB News, which last year saw its losses balloon to more than £42m.
The start-up broadcaster has since been forced to cut jobs while seeking new sources of revenue from live events and a paid membership scheme.
However, it remains deeply reliant on billionaire investor Sir Paul Marshall and Dubai-based hedge fund Legatum, who jointly own GB News through holding company All Perspectives.
The amount GB News owed to its parent company almost doubled from £42.8m to £83.8m in the last year alone.
Mr Musk’s legal action highlights a major escalation of tensions between the advertising industry and media outlets that have placed an emphasis on free speech.
Linda Yaccarino, chief executive of X, said the actions of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (Garm), whose members include consumer goods giants Unilever and Mars, had cost the business billions of dollars.
X and Rumble are seeking unspecified damages for allegedly violating US anti-trust law.
The lawsuit, filed in Texas, also names the World Federation of Advertisers (FWA), which launched the Garm initiative, as a defendant, alongside UK advertising behemoth WPP.

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