DIRECTV says it will drop the conservative One America News (OAN) when its current carriage agreement with the news channel expires. (DIRECTV Stream and U-verse will also cut the channel from their lineups.)
“We informed Herring Networks (OAN’s owner) that, following a routine internal review, we do not plan to enter into a new contract when our current agreement expires,” DIRECTV said in a statement.
The satcaster did not say when the current agreement with OAN expires. But Bloomberg News, which first reported that DIRECTV would drop OAN, says it will end in April.
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OAN, which has been a favorite channel of former President Trump, has been a political thorn in DIRECTV’s side since Reuters reported last October that AT&T encouraged Robert Herring, the owner of Herring Networks, to start the news channel several years ago. (AT&T was then the sole owner of DIRECTV. The communications giant has since sold a 30 percent minority stake to private equity firm, TPG.)
The article said AT&T promised Herring that DIRECTV would carry the channel, which would mean millions of dollars in carriage fees for his company. (AT&T has disputed the article’s main assertions.)
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The Reuters story has triggered a wave of criticism towards AT&T from liberals who say the communications giant is responsible for creating a news channel that Democrats (and even some Republicans) allege engages in purposeful disinformation on topics such as vaccine effectiveness, the 2020 presidential election and the Covid-19 pandemic. OAN denies the charge, saying that it’s simply offering viewpoints that differ from those held by their opponents.
While OAN is also carried by Verizon and a few small cable operators, the loss of DIRECTV could make it difficult for the channel to survive.
DIRECTV’s decision to drop OAN could become more important if the satcaster decides to merge with Dish. Democrats, who are in control of the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission, the agencies that would rule on the merger, are not partial to OAN.
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To make reference a tpg in any way owns DirecTV is an absolute falsehood AT&t owns DirecTV and is still totally in control this is the only issue I have with this article tpg does not I repeat does not own DirecTV AT&t owns DirecTV tpg has a 30% investor stake in it which is still operated by x AT&t employees AT&t owns DirecTV and it will die along with DirecTV into the future so this news channel means nothing
you can’t force us to watch your CNN or MSNBC, those so called news stations are falling off the map. Sure, anything positive politically, means “nothing!
Yes! I am so sick of those who don’t agree with something resorting to censoring! I am trying to find an alternative to Direct TV, since they are cancelling OAN. It just proves how very terrified the left is about people having access to different views! I’m so very disappointed that this happening. The Republicans/conservatives do Not talk about cancelling lying The View, Msnbc, cnn. Problem is, they lie and distort so much, that they are cratering in viewership, and therefore, they want to cancel their competitors. Pitiful and transparent. But that we have no control over what we want to watch, is unAmerican!
I dropped DirecTV long time ago. I stream all my TV content now.
My wife and I want to drop Direct TV but we have never streamed TV and would appreciate it if you would share with us who you now you and the process of getting/using a streaming alternative.
So how long till DIRECTV drops CNN?
When is Fox News getting Dumped? Waste of space on my Channel Line up.
Go into the menu channels section and delete Fox News and live in happy bliss.
Live in ignorance, ignore truth and facts. Whe needs real news when you can watch cnn and get made up stories
Biden’s approval numbers should make it obvious that America does not approve of what is a dumpster fire. Americans have also realized that the lies and BS CNN has broadcast are not the truth. CNN’s ratings clearly indicate that America is no longer fooled. So you bury your head back in the sand; I wish you and all the lemmings well.
OAN is also available on klowdtv. Klowdtv costs $9.99 / mo I dumped AT&T a long time ago.
The only reason I stayed with Direct TV was so I could watch One America News. I guess I don’t need Direct TV now. I will be dropping it.