Morgan’s comments provoked a negative reaction and sparked an investigation by Ofcom, the country’s media regulator, which received a record 57,100 complaints about his comments. But in all likelihood, Morgan won’t be down for long.
Two new media ventures in the UK – former BBC presenter Andrew Neil’s GB News and Rupert Murdoch’s News UK TV – are preparing for the launch. They are expected to reproduce contentious and motivated political discussions by personalities who dominate radio and cable in the United States, but are absent from British television.
And Morgan, a high-level and outspoken critic of the “awake” culture, would be a natural fit.
“He is certainly someone who generates publicity,” said Patrick Barwise, co-author of the book “The War Against the BBC” and emeritus professor of administration and marketing at London Business School. “He would fit that model very well.”
Morgan’s next move
In a recent interview in At the BBC, Neil said that Morgan “would be a great asset to GB News” and that he would be “delighted” to speak with him if he is interested.
“Can we find a role for Piers Morgan? Of course we can,” said Neil, who is the founding president of the network. “Any self-respecting network could find a role for a broadcaster of its caliber.”
Murdoch’s TV News UK declined to comment on whether it had made an offer to the former tabloid editor.
“There is a lot of interest in securing my services,” he told CNN Business, although he declined to comment on specific offers.
Not long ago, Morgan, a former CNN presenter, would have had fewer options. Although the media scene in the UK is defined in part by a liberal and often partisan tabloid press, its TV news channels largely frame its coverage in the middle. The BBC, ITV and Sky News maintain high levels of public trust.
GB News, which is launching a 24-hour news channel, and News UK TV – which has not announced details of its plans, but is expected to produce more limited content for streaming – could reshape the industry.
“They clearly intend to shift the center of gravity of the news broadcast in the UK to the right,” said Barwise.
“He is a very good journalist, with a reputation to protect, to want to be associated with a news channel that resells conspiracy and propaganda theories,” said BBC presenter Clive Myrie in a talk on impartiality in the news last week. “And in any case, Ofcom, the regulator, is watching.”
Still, Murdoch, who also owns three major British newspapers – The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times – is not known for avoiding a fight. GB News, for its part, clearly aims to pave the way in the market, differentiating itself from other broadcasters centered in London.
Recent GB News signings include Dan Wootton of The Sun, who coined the term “Megxit” when breaking the news that Meghan and Prince Harry would distance themselves from Buckingham Palace.
“I am passionate about GB News’ bold vision of bringing a new approach to television news and debates that involves all voices and opinions across the UK,” said Wootton when his role was announced.
Gill Hind, a TV analyst at Enders Analysis, said GB News “will play fairness in a different way”. She predicts that some programs can turn to the left, while others can turn to the right, reducing the appearance of prejudice across the network. But all programs, she predicts, will revolve around opinionated individual commentators – a different dynamic on British television.
Can opinionated TV news work in Britain?
“For the launch of a new channel in this market that is not supported by an ITV, or a BBC or a Sky – how are you going to get an audience in the first place? That will prove incredibly difficult,” said Hind.
Morgan’s policy tends to be unpredictable and often appears to be based on creating some kind of public response. This could be an advantage for a newcomer like GB News, who will need to generate attention, Hind said.
If GB News can offer you enough money to attract him, however, is an open question. Meanwhile, Murdoch’s controlled operation could hurt Morgan, who may be thrilled to have to offer a party line, according to Barwise.
“My great expectation is that he will want a place where he can express opinions and express them very strongly,” he said.
Even with Morgan on board, GB News and News UK TV would face challenges.
GB News, in particular, does not have the financial backing of a large media empire. The network has secured £ 60 million ($ 83.5 million) from investors like Discovery and hedge fund titan Paul Marshall, but its fate is linked to its ability to lure advertisers away from competitors. Hind said there were “doubts” about whether the brands would want to be associated with the channel.
In the end, it will probably boil down to how many Britons, comfortable with tabloid culture and some combative radio stations, are drawn to a more aggressive approach to TV news. Despite the deep polarization in the country after Brexit, there is some skepticism that the British will have the stomach for it.
“Many people don’t want to hear that 24 hours a day,” said Hind.