Ofcom has found LBC in breach of the broadcasting code for not mentioning the full list of candidates during interviews on the run up to the London Mayoral Election.
Tom Swarbrick held a series of interviews with candidates broadcast on different dates in April 2024, mentioning the other main candidates, but failed to read out a full list on the radio.
He did mention the full list of standing candidates were available on the LBC website, but Ofcom said this was not enough.
Rule 6.10 says a list of all candidates must be included during interviews, features or debates surrounding an Election, during an election period.
LBC said the production team “had planned to include it at the end of the programme” and that this “was omitted due to human error and the pressure of a heated debate within a live broadcast environment”.
LBC Radio went on to say it “takes its broadcasting compliance requirements extremely seriously” and that following the announcement of the General Election that was to take place on 4 July 2024, it had “already provided bespoke ‘Section 5 & 6’ training to all relevant programming and news teams as well as producing internal updated election guidelines”.
The incidents were investigate following four complaints, and you can see the full ruling here.
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