Ohio, W.Va. AGs Join Press on DirecTV to Reverse Dropping OAN

Acceding to political pressure and canceling carriage of conservative One America News (OAN) "sets a dangerous precedent" and DirecTV "should stand fast against such pressure to stifle dissenting and alternative opinions," the West Virginia and Ohio attorneys general wrote DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow Friday. "The Fourth Estate must have ample room to cover the government and politics of the day, without newsrooms constantly looking over their shoulder," Patrick Morrissey and Dave Yost said. The letter follows a similar one last week from six other Republican AGs (see 2203110025). OAN sued DirecTV, AT&T and its chairman, William Kennard, in San Diego County Superior Court last week, alleging breach of contract. OAN said it signed an advertising agreement with AT&T Services -- covering traditional advertising and programmatic targeted advertising -- that runs until 2024 on the assumption DirecTV would renew its carriage of the network beyond the 2022 expiration. It said AT&T also violated a nondisparagement clause in its carriage agreement with OAN when various WarnerMedia programs did coverage critical of OAN. AT&T said the allegations "are completely without merit, particularly as they relate to AT&T and our independent Chairman.” DirecTV said the lawsuit allegations "are baseless, and we are confident that we have fully complied with both the law and our agreement.”