More than 50 peers blast 'unbalanced and prejudiced' Channel 4 news report trends now
More than 50 peers have accused Channel 4 of delivering an 'unbalanced and prejudiced' news report covering allegations against the equalities watchdog's embattled chairman.
The parliamentarians strongly 'condemned' the programme for launching an 'irresponsible attack' against Baroness Kishwer Falkner and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
In a scathing letter to Ofcom and Channel 4, they accused the programme this week of being 'complicit' in an attempt by staff to oust the chairman and undermine the board.
'In our opinion, viewers were fed a piece so unbalanced as to potentially reach the point of prejudice,' they said.
The peers also slammed Channel 4 for 'relaying a stream of emotive, one-sided and unsubstantiated statements' against Baroness Falkner who is the subject of an ongoing investigation.
The parliamentarians strongly 'condemned' the programme for launching an 'irresponsible attack' against Baroness Kishwer Falkner (pictured) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
A spokesperson for Channel 4 News last night said it 'stands by' its reporting.
It comes just days after the Mail revealed that the chair was facing a KC-led probe prompted by a dossier of more than 40 complaints alleging discrimination, transphobia and bullying.
Staff are accused of taking aim at Baroness Falkner over her stance on trans issues after she backed legal reforms guarding the rights of biological women in single sex-spaces and sports.
Critics have already accused Channel 4 of Left-wing bias over Tuesday's reporting on what it said was evidence of a toxic culture at the EHRC and the 'consternation' at Baroness Falkner's leadership.
It used actors and silhouettes to quote a number of anonymous current and former staff with one saying the situation was 'heart-breaking' and another saying staff were often left in tears.
The programme also quoted from documents saying that the chairman's 'unacceptable behaviour' had 'become normalised' while staff were bullied.
Critics have already accused Channel 4 of Left-wing bias over Tuesday's reporting on what it said was evidence of a toxic culture at the EHRC and the 'consternation' at Baroness Falkner's leadership
Now, a group of 54 peers has made a formal complaint to Ofcom claiming Channel 4 News failed to properly represent any 'opposing views' as no one supportive of the cross-bench peer was featured.
In the damning letter, the parliamentarians said: 'As a cross party group of peers we write in the strongest terms to condemn the piece.
'In the context of an ongoing investigation, Channel 4's intervention breached both Section 5 of the Broadcasting Code (Due Impartiality and Due Accuracy) and Section 7 (Fairness).
The letter recognised that the current situation at EHRC was likely to be 'toxic' due to the sensitive debate regarding women's rights, sex and gender.
But it continued that given the 'fiercely held views', a national broadcaster should 'at least attempt to provide both sides of the argument'.
'Instead, in our opinion,
