Rupert Murdoch’s latest television news channel has been given the go-ahead by Ofcom and could start broadcasting as early as spring 2021.
News UK TV is competing against Andrew Neil-backed channel GB News to be first on-air.
Both outlets believe there is a gap in the market for right-leaning television news channels aimed at Britons who dislike the BBC’s output.
Although no presenting lineup has been announced, News UK TV staff have been told to expect big-name hires.
The Apprentice host Lord Sugar and Good Morning Britain‘s Piers Morgan have been touted as possible signees. Morgan has been spotted in News UK’s London Bridge headquarters, where a studio is being built.
The new station is expected to run an evening service lasting around four to five hours and will include an early-evening politics show, a daily political debate programme, and an evening news bulletin.
The channel will be overseen by former Fox News and CBS News boss David Rhodes and will primarily be accessible via a streaming service.
Nigel Farage has also been tipped to run an opinionated video show.
According to a source in Westminster, the Brexit Party leader was overheard in a central London restaurant discussing conversations he had with Murdoch about running a new programme.
Farage, who has recently started publishing his own video news commentary on Twitter, did not respond to a request for comment.
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