Satellite TV provider DirecTV plans to pull out of renewing its contract with One America News (OAN), according to media reports and statements from groups that have pushed for OAN to drop.
Bloomberg was the first to report this. DirecTV and OAN did not respond to The Epoch Times’ requests for comment.
OAN is one of three television networks backed by former President Donald Trump.
Leftist organizations and politicians have long been pushing AT&T, the majority owner of DirecTV, to remove OAN’s channels from the satellite provider’s list.
Media Matters for America, GLAAD (formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation Alliance), Greenpeace USA and several other groups sent a letter to the CEOs of AT&T and DirecTV last November urging them to end their relationship with the OAN.
“We urge you to do the right thing and demand that DIRECTV use all available means to end its relationship with OANN so that its customers are no longer forced to subsidize hate and misinformation,” the letter (pdf) reads.
The groups took issue with OAN’s coverage of election integrity and COVID-19, arguing that the news network was spreading disinformation on both topics.
Chanel Rion, OAN’s chief White House correspondent, responded to the news on Twitter.
“With moves like this, DirectTV will have to go public in order to survive,” Rion said. “In the era of streaming, Cable is on its last legs – Blockbuster on the eve of Netflix. They will have better luck in Pyongyang.”
Liberal groups have welcomed DirecTV’s decision.
“DirecTV has made the responsible decision to retire OAN. The OAN is a cauldron of disinformation and extremism,” said Media Matters President Angelo Carusone.
Last March, OAN Attorney Eric Earley wrote to Representatives Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Anna G. Ash (D-CA) demanding they publicly withdraw their letters after lawmakers hit cable, satellite and streaming. companies to explain why they continue to offer their services to OAN, Fox News and Newsmax.
“As government officials, you are meddling in the national cable news market, dictating winners and losers. You encourage viewpoint discrimination designed to harm national media voices that unfavorably cover your agenda and may oppose you and your political beliefs,” Earley said in the letter. “You are in effect demanding that the three centre-right national media outlets be removed in accordance with your own political desires.”
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