Alex Wong
Amid cries from Republicans that DirecTV is censoring conservative media by “de-platforming” Newsmax, the satellite provider announced on Thursday that it has added another fledgling right-wing network to its roster: The First, whose hosts include disgraced Fox News star Bill O’Reilly.
To add insult to injury to Newsmax, The First will reside on the same DirecTV channel that Newsmax was just booted from this week.
According to DirecTV, their multi-year deal with The First—which launched in late 2019 as a digital network available on over-the-top (OTT) platforms—will not feature any “extra fees” and will allow the conservative outlet to “remain a free channel” available to DirecTV customers. The First will continue to retain a free stream on its website and other services. (This appears to be similar to the deal Newsmax rejected this month.)