Watchdog says Today FM not impartial in JK debate
A COMPLAINT that a panellist on a Today FM show described JK Rowling as a ‘transphobic bigot’ without challenge, and without any evidence to back this up, has been upheld.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland said the complaint related to a weekly radio panel discussion on the Last Word with Matt Cooper in September last year.
It said the complainant believed the accusation against the Harry Potter author was very serious, and that the segment lacked balance, impartiality or objectivity.
Today FM countered that its panellist, who was not identified, was entitled to express their opinion on a part of the programme that requires guests to have a view on the topics being discussed.
In its ruling, the watchdog said that although the content of the panel discussion was quite lighthearted in nature, it was about a current-affairs topic and therefore was subject to the requirements set out in the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs.