The First TV

The First, also called The First TV and stylized as The F1rst, is a conservative opinion and commentary network in the United States started in October 2019. It has five hosts; including Bill O'Reilly.

For early television technology, see History of television.
The First TV
TypeConservative opinion and commentary network
CountryUnited States
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerThe First Digital, Inc.
History
LaunchedOctober 2019
Links
Websitewww.thefirsttv.com

History

The First was launched in October 2019 on Pluto TV, a streaming platform owned by Paramount Global.[1] It was started in partnership with Red Seat Ventures.[2] It offers about 45 hours of original programming a week.[3] In January 2023, The First was added to DirecTV, after it concurrently dropped Newsmax TV due to demands for carriage fees.[4]

Hosts

The First launched with two hosts in October 2019, former combat veteran Jesse Kelly[5][6] and former CIA analyst Buck Sexton.[7] In January 2020, the network added California-based talk radio host Mike Slater[8] and conservative female talk radio host Dana Loesch.[9][10] On June 1, 2020, the network announced that Bill O'Reilly was joining the network with his show No Spin News.[11][12] He began the online show in 2017 after being fired from Fox News Channel, in the wake of The New York Times publishing details of six sexual misconduct lawsuits O'Reilly had settled.[3][13][14] Former OANN host, CPAC speaker, and conservative podcaster Liz Wheeler was added to the network in January of 2023.[15]

Reception

Tyler Hersko of IndieWire criticized ViacomCBS for their involvement in O'Reilly's show, commenting that its Pluto TV debut coincided with the date that its entertainment and youth channels were made unavailable for eight minutes 46 seconds in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Hersko found this hypocritical in light of comments made by O'Reilly about African-Americans.[2] A petition by ViacomCBS employees urged the company to remove The First for similar reasons.[1]

References
  1. "ViacomCBS employees pressure Pluto TV to stop streaming new Bill O'Reilly show". Los Angeles Times. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  2. Hersko, Taylor (3 June 2020). "ViacomCBS Put 'I Can't Breathe' on Its Networks, Still Gives New Bill O'Reilly Show a Platform". IndieWire.
  3. Fischer, Sara. "Bill O'Reilly's show to air on conservative streaming network The First". Axios. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  4. Harris, Raquel (26 January 2023). "DirecTV to Launch Right-Wing Commentary Network 'The First'". TheWrap. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  5. "'The Jesse Kelly Show' Enters Syndication Via Key Networks". Insideradio.com. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  6. "Key Networks to Bring". news.radio-online.com. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  7. "Viacom's Pluto TV Adds New Conservative Channel | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  8. "True Story with Mike Slater". ART19. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  9. ""The Dana Show" on The First and PlutoTV". 15 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  10. Cooperman, Jeannette (2018-09-13). "The making of the NRA's Dana Loesch". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  11. Pedersen, Erik (2020-06-01). "Bill O'Reilly Returns To TV As 'No Spin News' On OTT's The First". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  12. "Bill O'Reilly to host talk show on WABC radio". Newsday. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  13. Nam, Rafael (2020-06-01). "O'Reilly's 'No Spin News' to air on conservative digital network The First". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  14. Schwartz, Brian (2020-09-11). "Former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly gets new show on radio station owned by Trump ally". CNBC. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  15. "The Liz Wheeler Show" to Premiere 5 Days Every Week, Announces Prime Time Slot on The First TV Network" (Press release).
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