One America News Network

One America News Network is a cable and satellite television news channel founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Diego, California. The channel was established by businessman Robert Herring Sr. and operated by Herring Networks, Inc., offering 24-hour news programming aimed at a national audience. It has been associated with conservative commentary and has attracted attention for its coverage of U.S. politics, international affairs, and media controversies involving outlets such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

History

OANN was launched in 2013 by Robert Herring Sr. and Herring Networks, with executive leadership that included members of the Herring family and figures from cable distribution. Early carriage deals involved providers such as DirecTV, Comcast, Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS, and Dish Network, while negotiations mirrored distribution battles experienced by networks like Newsmax and TheBlaze. The channel expanded its footprint during the 2010s amid shifting viewership from legacy broadcasters including CBS News, ABC News, NBC News, and international outlets like the BBC and Al Jazeera. During the 2016 and 2020 United States presidential elections, OANN increased political programming and developed relationships with conservative figures linked to Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Roger Stone, and commentators who also appeared on Breitbart News, The Daily Caller, and Drudge Report. Network growth occurred alongside scrutiny from media watchdogs such as Media Matters for America, PEN America, and academics from institutions including Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University.

Programming

OANN's lineup has featured a mix of rolling news blocks, primetime opinion shows, and documentary-style programming. Anchors and hosts affiliated with the channel have included personalities who previously worked for local stations like KUSI-TV or national outlets such as CNN and Fox Business. Programming has often focused on policy debates involving actors and institutions such as Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Supreme Court of the United States, United States Congress, Department of Justice (United States), Central Intelligence Agency, and international stories referencing locations like Russia, China, Iran, and Venezuela. Weekend and weekday segments have featured interviews with political figures including senators, representatives, and pundits affiliated with Republican Party (United States), Libertarian Party (United States), and conservative think tanks like Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, and Cato Institute. Documentary specials sometimes covered historical events linked to Cold War, War on Terror, and diplomatic episodes such as Camp David Accords and Oslo Accords.

Political stance and controversies

OANN is widely characterized by commentators and scholars as adopting a conservative, pro-Trump editorial posture, with content frequently intersecting debates around journalists and outlets like The Washington Examiner, National Review, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and broadcast rivals Fox News Channel. The channel has been criticized by advocacy groups including Media Matters for America, Southern Poverty Law Center, and academics from University of California, Berkeley for promoting narratives tied to election fraud claims surrounding the 2020 United States presidential election and for amplifying foreign influence narratives involving Russia and China. High-profile controversies have involved disputes with media regulators such as the Federal Communications Commission and public figures including President Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Mike Pence, and legal teams connected to Rudy Giuliani. OANN’s editorial stance prompted debates in legislatures and among distributors about carriage and content moderation similar to disputes affecting Twitter, Facebook, and streaming platforms like YouTube.

Business operations and ownership

Herring Networks, a privately held company founded by Robert Herring Sr., owns and operates the channel, with executive roles held by family members such as Charles Herring. The company’s business model combined subscriber carriage fees from multichannel video programming distributors including DirecTV, Dish Network, Charter Communications, and advertising revenue from marketers and sponsors operating in markets overlapping with outlets like Townhall, TheBlaze, and Newsmax Media. OANN’s operational footprint included a headquarters in San Diego, California and bureaus or correspondents reporting from regions such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, and international capitals like Moscow, Beijing, and Jerusalem. Financial transparency and revenue sources were subjects of reporting by outlets including Bloomberg News, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Financial Times.

Legal issues and litigation

The network has been involved in multiple legal disputes and litigation matters. Notably, OANN and Herring Networks faced defamation suits and countersuits involving figures and entities such as Vance McAllister-style local controversies and high-profile litigation connected to reporting about Voter fraud claims and allegations concerning public figures like Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic. Litigation paralleled cases pursued by other media organizations including Fox News relating to election coverage. Courts and judges from jurisdictions in California and New York (state) adjudicated claims involving defamation law, commercial disputes, and contract issues with distributors like DirecTV and Dish Network. Legal commentary appeared in analyses by legal scholars at Georgetown University Law Center, Harvard Law School, and media law specialists tracking precedents from cases such as those involving New York Times Co. v. Sullivan and state-level defamation standards.

Category:Television networks in the United States