Culture

Many Are Calling For NRAtv To Be Removed From Amazon Prime, Apple TV, And Google Chromecast


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There is a growing list of companies who have decided to end their respective partnerships with the National Rifle Association following the tragic shooting death of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. As of this writing Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku are not among the companies listed, but if an increasingly vocal number of anti-NRA and pro-gun control voices get their way, that might change. That’s because all four companies carry the organization’s streaming media arm, NRAtv, and opponents are calling for them to stop.

Variety first reported the matter on Thursday when the #StopNRAmazon hashtag began trending on social media. A day later the #StopNRApple hashtag began trending as well, and while its corporate focus was entirely different than its predecessor, both carried the weight of the same argument — stop streaming NRAtv or else. When reached for comment, representatives from Amazon, Apple, and Google did not respond to Variety. A Roku spokesperson, however, told the outlet they were “an open platform for streaming and allow publishers to reach a TV audience,” and that they will continue to carry NRAtv for the moment.

Needless to say, the general silence from these companies didn’t sit well with those who first raised the issue on Twitter. So as USA Today reports, a petition specifically targeting Amazon Prime’s carrying of NRAtv was launched. “We must remember to respect the First Amendment above all else,” read the petition, which currently boasts over 22,500 signatures. “If NRA members want to watch NRA TV, they can find it without Amazon’s promotion. There is no place in your home for brands that earn money through the NRA.”


Unsurprisingly, the positive response to the various hashtags and the subsequent petition demanding NRAtv be removed from Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms continues to grow.

https://twitter.com/amyschumer/status/967181060646809600

On Saturday Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action and one of the many forces behind the Everytown initiative, claimed she had spoken with an Amazon operator who said “[they] are taking it down” following public pressure. As for when NRAtv will allegedly be removed from Amazon Prime, the unnamed operator “[didn’t] want to speculate.” Of course, whether or not any of this is true remains to be seen.

(Via Variety and USA Today)