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OAN,
which rose to prominence amid the triumph and tumult of the
administration of then-President Donald Trump, has been
criticized for spreading conspiracy theories about the COVID-19
pandemic and the 2020 election.
"We informed Herring Networks that, following a routine internal
review, we do not plan to enter into a new contract when our
current agreement expires," a DirecTV spokesperson said in an
emailed statement to Reuters.
AT&T has a 70% stake in DirecTV, after last year spinning off
the satellite service, now an independently managed company. The
U.S. telecommunications company entered into a deal with Herring
Networks Inc in 2017, which included OAN and a little-watched
lifestyle channel, AWE. DirecTV began carrying the networks in
April that year.
OAN and Herring Networks could not immediately be reached for
comment outside business hours.
AT&T has been a crucial source of funds for OAN, providing tens
of millions of dollars in revenue, a Reuters investigation found
last year. Ninety percent of OAN's revenue came from a contract
with AT&T-owned television platforms, including DirecTV,
according to 2020 sworn testimony by an OAN accountant.
DirecTV's contract expires in early April, according to
Bloomberg News, which earlier reported the development.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya and Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru;
Editing by William Mallard)
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