On Friday, DirecTV said that it would be dropping the far-right channel One America Network (OAN) from its service when its contract ends in April. The conservative news channel would probably see a reduced audience of pro-Trump supporters after this move. A spokesperson for DirecTV said that they had informed OAN of the decision but did not say when it would go off air. The channel had been under fire for misrepresenting COVID-19 as well as for spreading false information about the presidential election in November 2020.
Bloomberg was the first to report that DirecTV would be dropping OAN which is called a MAGA–Make America Great Again channel as well as its sibling AWE ( A Wealth of Entertainment). Both the channels are owned by Herring Networks.
In early April, subscribers will no longer be able to find these channels in the list of channels available. Major cable providers have not carried the channel. OAN rose to prominence due to support from AT&T, the parent of DirecTV, according to a report by Reuters, last year.
According to the report in Reuters, OAN lawyer Patrick Nellies told the court in a lawsuit brought by a former employee that if Herring Networks would lose or not get its license renewed on DirecTV, the San Diego based company would go out of business, the next day.
This statement had nothing to do with AT&T per se. However, it underlined the fact that AT&T provided the financial support for OAN to survive and thrive. The outlet also said that Trump’s loss was OAN’s gain, according to data from social media.
There have been several instances where it had been proven that OAN peddled false statements and theories. It was removed by YouTube for its false information and cures for COVID-19. It has spread a lot of false information that has torn the fabric of the nation especially after the November 2020 elections.
Although, the channel is set to lose a major source of its income as well as its affiliations to one of the biggest telecom giants in the nation, a lot of damage through false information that had lead to loss of lives and health has already taken place. By going off air, the damage of spreading false information can be limited in future.
