Items30The creator’s order
  1. 1BBC NewsBBC NewsThe starting point for most people, and the one outlet every side of politics argues about. The BBC is funded mainly by the license fee that households watching live TV pay, carries no advertising at home, and works under a Royal Charter, which is due for renewal at the end of 2027, with a public…0
  2. 2ITV NewsITV NewsThe main alternative to the BBC on free-to-air TV. ITV is a commercial channel paid for by advertising, and its news is made by ITN, the same company that produces Channel 4 News and 5 News. It follows the same impartiality rules as the BBC, so the difference is style rather than politics: a little…0
  3. 3Sky NewsSky NewsBritain's other big 24-hour news channel, and a good one to leave on when a story is breaking. Sky has belonged to the American company Comcast since 2018, when it was bought from Rupert Murdoch's Fox. Despite the old Murdoch link, Sky News follows the same impartiality rules as every UK…0
  4. 4Channel 4 NewsChannel 4 NewsThe long evening program for viewers who want depth over headlines. Channel 4 is a publicly owned public service broadcaster that runs on advertising rather than the license fee, and its news is produced by ITN. It is bound by the same impartiality rules as the others, but its tone is more probing…0
  5. 55 News5 NewsA compact alternative among the main free channels. 5 News is made by ITN, the same company behind ITV News and Channel 4 News, for Channel 5, which belongs to the American group Paramount. Like every UK broadcaster it must be duly impartial, so the difference from the BBC and ITV is format rather…0
  6. 6GB NewsGB NewsThe newest and most argued-over channel on the list. GB News launched in June 2021 with Andrew Neil as chairman, promising a voice for people who feel sidelined or silenced and positioning itself as a rival to the BBC and Sky News. It is far more opinion-led than any other UK channel, with…0
  7. 7LBCLBCBritain's answer to talk radio, though it sounds nothing like American talk radio. LBC is a national news, talk and phone-in station owned by Global, with about 3.6 million listeners a week. Rather than keep every show neutral, it says it aims for balance across its schedule, so presenters with…0
  8. 8Times RadioTimes RadioThe Times's own radio station, and the alternative to LBC for listeners who want analysis more than argument. Times Radio launched in June 2020 and belongs to News UK, the publisher of The Times and The Sun. It started without ad breaks, earning its money from sponsorship instead, and opened on its…0
  9. 9The GuardianThe GuardianThe main paper of the liberal left. The Guardian is owned by Guardian Media Group, whose only shareholder is the Scott Trust, so there is no billionaire proprietor, and its website has no paywall, relying instead on reader contributions. It backed Labour in 2024. Expect strong coverage of climate,…0
  10. 10The ObserverThe ObserverA Sunday paper with a long liberal tradition, now under new ownership. For decades The Observer was the Guardian's Sunday sister, but it was sold to the start-up Tortoise Media, which took over in 2025, and the Scott Trust kept a minority stake. Its politics have not changed much: it backed Labour…0