 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2016 |
| Closed | June 25, 2019 |
NRATV (National Rifle Association Television) was the online video channel of the National Rifle Association of America. It was established as an offshoot of NRA News in 2016 and ceased production in 2019 and went offline. [1]
In 2004, the National Rifle Association (NRA) began offering NRA News, video content available via smartphone applications, web browsers, and streaming devices, billed as "the most comprehensive video coverage of Second Amendment issues, events and culture anywhere in the world." Content categories included commentary, investigative, lifestyle, profiles, campaigns, and history. [2] [3] In 2016, NRA News was expanded and rebranded as NRATV. [4] Billed as the "voice of the NRA," [4] NRATV is "a central part" of the NRA's messaging, according to The New York Times . [5] The slogan of NRATV is "America's Most Patriotic Team on a Mission to Take Back The Truth." [6]
NRA News and NRATV were created and operated by Ackerman McQueen, an Oklahoma City-based advertising agency. Until 2019, Ackerman McQueen was the National Rifle Association's largest vendor, and the NRA was Ackerman McQueen's largest client. [2] [4] [7] [8] The approach to advertising of the Ackerman McQueen agency is a "philosophy of branded news. Start with the people who matter most, don't be afraid of small audiences, and don't be afraid of owning your narrative. You can do that through advertising but you could also do it as technology progressed in so many ways," according to Ackerman McQueen's chief executive officer Revan McQueen in a 2019 interview. [9] [5] "Every brand must be its own media company," according to the Ackerman McQueen website. [5] [10]
The primary sponsors of NRATV were manufacturers of guns and ammunition, such as O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, [4] Kimber Manufacturing, and Sturm, Ruger & Co. [6]
In the aftermath of the February 14, 2018 Parkland high school shooting, activists created the hashtags #stopNRAmazon and #DumpNRATV asking Amazon to discontinue streaming programs from NRATV, an initiative supported by celebrities like Alyssa Milano, Denis O’Hare, Evan Handler, Ben Gleib, Joshua Malina, Warren Leight, Genevieve Angelson, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Misha Collins. [6] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] Other companies offering NRATV programs as part of their streaming services became the target of a similar campaign launched by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense and Everytown for Gun Safety. [18] [19]
In late November 2018, NRATV laid off several staff members following a $55 million decrease in revenue at the NRA. [20] [21]
In 2010, Tyler Schropp came to the NRA from Ackerman McQueen and became development director at the NRA. Between 2010 and 2019, the NRA paid $18 million to a production company for the NRATV hunting series Under Wild Skies. Schropp had an ownership position in the production company until at least 2017. As a tax-exempt organization, federal regulation restrict transactions that benefit key executives. [5] [7] [22] [23]
On April 12, 2019, the NRA sued Ackerman McQueen for over-billing and lack of transparency. The suit alleged that Ackerman had denied the NRA access to basic business records in support of Ackerman's billing to the NRA, a lack of transparency that "threatens to imminently and irreparably harm" the NRA's nonprofit status. [7] [23] [24] [25] [26] Ackerman said the suit was "inaccurate" and "frivolous." [23]
NRATV's editorial scope was a major issue in the lawsuit. [24] Some NRA board members, including Marion Hammer, questioned the value of NRATV to the NRA. [5] [22] [27] [28] According to the NRA in the complaint, "certain NRA stakeholders were also concerned that NRATV’s messaging — on topics far afield of the Second Amendment — deviated from the NRA’s core mission and values." [29] [30] [31] NRATV aired segments on immigration and gender identity, warned of possible race wars, and called for a protest march on the FBI, positions never taken by the NRA. [24]
Among the issues in the lawsuit was the NRA's request for details of Ackerman McQueen's $1 million contract with NRA president Oliver North to host NRATV programming. Ackerman McQueen declined to provide the NRA with the full contract, and North through counsel declined to provide the NRA with the contract without Ackerman McQueen consent. [23] [24] [25] [26] The office of NRA president is unpaid. "Oliver North is employed by Ackerman McQueen, a vendor of the NRA. And it is clear that his loyalty is to Ackerman McQueen," according to NRA board member Marion Hammer. On April 27, 2019, North announced he would not serve a second term. [31]
In June 2019, the NRA's Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre announced that the NRA would halt the production of content at NRATV, a move seen as related to the power struggle in the NRA. [1]
Oliver Laurence North is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while continuing to teach firearm safety and competency. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. According to the NRA, it had nearly 5 million members as of December 2018, though that figure has not been independently confirmed.
Carolyn McCarthy is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 4th congressional district from 1997 to 2015. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Gun laws in the United States regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition. State laws vary considerably, and are independent of existing federal firearms laws, although they are sometimes broader or more limited in scope than the federal laws.
The Eddie Eagle GunSafe program and its namesake character were developed by the National Rifle Association for children who are generally considered too young to be allowed to handle firearms. While maturity levels vary, the Eddie Eagle program is intended for children of any age from pre-school through third grade.
Marion P. Hammer is an American gun advocate and lobbyist who was the first female president of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), from 1995 to 1998.
The NRA National Firearms Museum is a museum located at the NRA Headquarters Building in Fairfax County, Virginia. Approximated 2,500 guns are displayed in 15,000 square feet. The NRA National Firearms Museum is operated by the Museums Division of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), with partial funding provided by the NRA Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation. It was established in 1935 at the old NRA Headquarters in Washington DC, and moved to its current location in 1998.
Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was formed in 2013 due to a merger between Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
Dana Lynn Loesch is an American radio and TV host. She is a former spokesperson for the National Rifle Association and a former writer and editor for Breitbart News. Loesch was the host of the program Dana on TheBlaze TV from 2014 to 2017. She also hosts a nationally syndicated weekday radio talk show. Loesch has appeared as a guest on television networks such as Fox News, CNN, CBS, ABC, and HBO.
Ackerman McQueen, also called "Ack-Mac", is an advertising agency based in Oklahoma City. Founded in 1939, it has expanded to include offices in Alexandria, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dallas, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ackerman McQueen has about 225 employees.
Thoughts and prayers is a common phrase frequently used by officials and celebrities, particularly in the United States, as a condolence after a tragic event, such as a deadly natural disaster or mass shooting. The phrase has received significant criticism for its repeated usage in the context of gun violence or terrorism, with critics claiming "thoughts and prayers" are offered as substitutes for action such as effective gun control or counter-terrorism legislation.
On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the Miami suburban town of Parkland, Florida, United States, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. Cruz, a former student at the school, fled the scene on foot by blending in with other students and was arrested without incident approximately one hour and twenty minutes later in nearby Coral Springs. Police and prosecutors investigated "a pattern of disciplinary issues and unnerving behavior".
David Miles Hogg is an American gun control activist. He rose to prominence during the 2018 United States gun violence protests as a student survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, helping lead several high-profile protests, marches, and boycotts, including the boycott of The Ingraham Angle. He has also been a target and scapegoat of several conspiracy theories.
The Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the political action committee (PAC) of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA). The Fund contributes money to political campaigns of candidates endorsed by the NRA.
In February 2018, a boycott emerged against the U.S. gun rights advocacy group National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and its business affiliates. The boycott and social media activism campaign arose in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. The NRA was criticized for its response, including its recommendation for schools to arm teachers and opposition to bans on certain weapons. Calls for companies to sever their ties to the NRA resulted in several companies discontinuing their business relationships with the NRA and cancelling discount programs offered to NRA members. The boycott extended to Canada where Mountain Equipment Co-op and the Running Room cut supplier relationships with Vista Outdoor. Public pressure also caused a number of gun retailers to increase the age required to buy firearms and place other restrictions on gun sales.
Fred Guttenberg is an American activist against gun violence. His 14-year-old daughter Jaime Guttenberg was murdered in the Parkland high school shooting in suburban Fort Lauderdale, Florida on February 14, 2018. His son, Jesse, also a student at the school, ran from the shooting to meet him at a nearby store. He learned about his daughter's death from a friend who is a Coral Springs SWAT officer. Jessica McBride, for the website Heavy, described him as "one of the strongest voices for changes to gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting".
Maria Valeryevna Butina is a Russian politician, political activist, journalist, and former entrepreneur who was convicted in 2018 of acting as an unregistered foreign agent of Russia within the United States.
Peter Royce Brownell is an American businessman. He is the Chairman of the Board of Brownells, a supplier of firearm accessories, ammunition and supplies based in Grinnell, Iowa. He is also Chairman of the Board and CEO of Brownell's parent company, 2nd Adventure Group.
The following are lists of changes to American television networks, including changes of station affiliations, that occurred in 2019.