Ofcom investigates Ken Bruce show for potential breach of broadcasting rules | Ofcom

Ken Bruce’s radio show is under investigation for a potential breach of broadcasting rules after his new employer demanded the government change the law to force criminal defendants into courtrooms.

The former Radio 2 presenter moved his morning show to commercial outlet Greatest Hits Radio in March but his show is having to deal with an Ofcom inquiry into the station’s “Face the Family” campaign, which was promoted on his programme.

Greatest Hits Radio tried to mobilise its listeners to change the law in an attempt to require offenders to appear in court to hear their sentence. The campaign followed several high-profile cases where offenders – including the killers of Zara Aleena and nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel – failed to appear in court to hear victim impact statements and sentencing.

Listeners to Bruce’s show who tuned in for his Popmaster quiz in mid-April would have heard Greatest Hits Radio newsreaders promote the campaign. The newsreaders also directed listeners towards a parliamentary petition, started by staff at parent company Bauer Media, that demanded MPs debate a change in the law.

Under Ofcom’s rules, individual presenters are allowed to promote their personal political viewpoints, so long as they demonstrate due impartiality and recognise the existence of alternative points of view. This allows the likes of LBC’s James O’Brien and TalkTV’s Piers Morgan to use their shows to broadcast strong views on politics.

But the same broadcasting code bans television and radio stations from promoting the opinions of a station’s owners and senior staff on matters of political controversy. This effectively stops broadcasters from running newspaper-style campaigns for changes in the law.

Yet this rule is under pressure from upstart stations willing to push the limits of the broadcasting code – and see whether Ofcom will enforce its rules. GB News is already being investigated for the same potential breach as Greatest Hits Radio after it launched a campaign to save cash.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We have opened an investigation into Greatest Hits Radio relating to its ‘Face the Family’ campaign.

“Our rules require all broadcasters to ensure that their programmes – whatever their genre – exclude all expressions of the views and opinions of the person providing the service on matters of political and industrial controversy or current public policy. This reflects the statutory requirements in the Communications Act 2003 as set by parliament.

“Ofcom guidance explains the ‘person providing the service’ is the licensee, the company officers and persons with an editorial responsibility for the service – rather than the individual presenters or guests that appear in the broadcaster’s programming. Our investigation does not seek to question the merits of the campaign itself.”

Bauer Media has been approached for comment.