DirecTV Adding Conservative Channel 'The First'

DirecTV will add The First, a conservative opinion and commentary network, to its lineup after recently dropping right-wing channel Newsmax.

The Wall Street Journal reports the satellite service said Thursday that The First will soon be available to its DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse customers at no additional cost through a multiyear agreement. The new channel, which features programs such as “No Spin News” with Bill O’Reilly, will also be available on its DirecTV TV Everywhere websites and apps.

The company didn’t specify when the channel would be accessible to its customers. 

The addition of The First, which initially launched on Paramount’s Pluto TV in 2019, follows DirecTV’s recent move to drop conservative media network Newsmax. That prompted the news organization to accuse DirecTV of politically motivated censorship.

DirecTV said earlier this week that it dropped Newsmax over potential rate increases that would have led to higher prices for customers. Anyone can watch Newsmax free online and on streaming platforms such as Amazon Fire and Roku, DirecTV said. 

“DIRECTV values different viewpoints and perspectives and will always work to preserve expansive choice among a wide variety of entertainment and information services,” DirecTV’s Chief Content Officer Rob Thun said.

The First channel features a lineup of programs such as prime-time series “The Liz Wheeler Show” and “I’m Right with Jesse Kelly.” It also includes the “The Dana Show” with Dana Loesch.