Daily Source Bias Check: One America News (OAN)

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.

• Overall, we rate One America News Far-right biased based on story selection that consistently favors the Right and Mixed for factual reporting due to the promotion of conspiracies, lack of sourcing, and a several failed fact checks. OANN is one failed fact check away from moving to the Questionable Source list.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180

History

Founded in 2013, One America News Network (OANN), also referred to as One America News (OAN), is an American right-wing pay television news channel and website. According to the Washington Post since the election of Donald Trump OAN has become pro-Trump in coverage and a favorite news source for the President. The founder of OAN is Charles Herring who has said “Fox News has done a great job serving the center-right and independent audiences…But those who consider themselves liberal have a half dozen or more choices on TV each day from which to get their news.” OAN has been criticized for biased content that favors Donald Trump.

On 10/10/2019, President Trump thanked OANN For Providing ‘Fair Coverage And Brilliant Reporting’.

Read our profile on USA government influence on media.

Funded by / Ownership

According to their about page “One America News Network is owned by Herring Networks, Inc. Herring Networks, Inc. is a family-owned and operated, independent media company focused on providing high-quality national television programming to consumers via its national cable networks.” Herring Networks is owned by Robert Herring Sr. who is a Republican donor. One America News is funded through advertising and television subscription fees.

Analysis / Bias

In review, OAN is a far-right biased news channel and website that uses moderately loaded words in headlines and articles such as this: Sen. Schumer Refuses To Back Down On Border Wall Funding. This article does not offer sourcing at all. In another article Senate Floats Restrictions On Detentions Of Illegal Aliens In Government Spending Bill, there is again a lack of sourced information.

One America News writes articles that are very short and easy to read. Their aim is to keep stories under 1 minute long. Story selection almost always favors the right and in particular President Donald Trump. An article in AdWeek describes how the owner of Herring Networks directs his newsroom to favor Trump: “According to internal emails, Herring has directed his channel to push Trump’s candidacy, scuttle stories about police shootings, encourage antiabortion stories, minimize coverage of Russian aggression, and steer away from the new president’s troubles, according to more than a dozen current and former producers, writers and anchors, as well as internal emails from Herring and his top news executives.”

OAN has also promoted right-wing conspiracies such as the Seth Rich Murder and that there was no evidence of chemical attacks in Syria.

A factual search reveals a few failed fact checks by IFCN fact-checkers.

• Would a Proposed Law ‘Ban the Bible’ in California? – FALSE
• Is an Increase in Recorded Crime in England and Wales Linked to ‘Radical Islamic Terror’? – MOSTLY FALSE
• Says Adam Schiff is “under investigation for Ukrainian Burisma oil connections.” – PANTS ON FIRE (12/10/2019)
• In January 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the bureau had illegally wiretapped Donald Trump and apologized for it. – FALSE (1/12/2020)
• Is it true that all non-emergent or so-called elective surgeries are banned due to the lockdowns put in place to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus? – MOSTLY FALSE (4/23/2020)

Overall, we rate One America News Far-right biased based on story selection that consistently favors the Right and Mixed for factual reporting due to the promotion of conspiracies, lack of sourcing, and a several failed fact checks. OANN is one failed fact check away from moving to the Questionable Source list. (10/12/2016) (D. Van Zandt 04/23/2020)

Source: https://www.oann.com