We Are One (Obanacian TV channel)

We Are One was an Obanacian terrestrial television channel owned by the non-profit organization of the same name. It was launched on October 8, 1981, as an effort for the organization to embrace Obanacia's multiculturalism. The channel broadcast in over 200 spoken languages in Obanacia, also including English and French, Obanacia's two officially recognized foreign languages. It was the first Obanacian channel to broadcast worldwide, followed by Obanacian Educational Television beginning in 1989. It offers cultural, entertainment, and edutainment programming in all of these 200 languages.

On September 31, 2021, due to them being unable to renew their terrestrial license, the network permanently ceased all broadcasts at 9:00 that night. All of their programming later moved to rival networks, including OET and Sastava Television. This has led to severe backlash and protests against the Obanacian government after they were accused of shutting down We Are One as a part of escalating Hajor nationalism. Many Obanacians often relate to the shutdown of the channel with the shutdown of the Philippine broadcasting network. WAO TV and WAO Radio were often referred to as the "Voices of Nesionyta".

Early years
After We Are One began radio broadcasts in 1967, there were talks about beginning television broadcasts sometime in the future. The organization has complained that there were no television stations in Obanacia that broadcast in regional languages, and often criticized OET for neglecting the country's diverse set of languages and only broadcasting in Hajorian and Baritoa. In the mid-1970s, We Are One announced to begin television broadcasts as soon as possible.

The organization gained a 30-year terrestrial license in 1977 and set its television network to be launched on January 7, 1978, to celebrate its 30th anniversary. However, after the WAO Building fire, which killed 184 people, the channel's launch was delayed to 1980. Later, due to financial problems, its launch was delayed again to 1981. After a three-year long delay, WAO TV was officially launched on October 8, 1981.



Shutdown
WAO TV has often been targeted by the government for broadcasting content against them, and especially faced backlash from conservative religious leaders for "turning people into atheists", as the channel broadcast content encouraging secularism. After the Jati Nasanga Kore administration took over in 2018, WAO TV's situation worsened. Both WAO TV and We Are One Radio were heavily criticized by Kore for reporting against the government. Pro-democracy movements in Obanacia praised and supported We Are One for standing with democracy and freedom of speech.

On August 24, 2019, WAO TV temporarily ceased transmissions without notice as its owner, the We Are One organization, criticized the change in the Obanacian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality and same-sex marriages. This caused nationwide protests by ethnic minorities and members of the LGBT community, demanding freedom of speech and press in Obanacia to thrive. Kore was also accused by the organization for curbing freedom of speech in the country. A day later, WAO TV resumed broadcasting.

Despite promoting ethnic harmony, Kore accused WAO and its radio and television divisions for defaming the government and the Hajor ethnicity, the largest ethnic group in Obanacia. On September 31, 2021, WAO TV and We Are One Radio were issued a to cease broadcasting immediately by the Department of Broadcasting and Communications (DBC) after We Are One's license to broadcast had been expired in July 2021, which was refused to be renewed by the DBC. However, they were allowed to broadcast for several more days. WAO TV was obliged to shut most of its terrestrial stations down across Obanacia by mid-August 2021, and was removed from most Obanacian satellite and cable television operators after order from the government.

WAO ceased radio broadcasts on August 28, 2021, with the last broadcast on its last remaining radio station (WAO Radio 8177 kHz), being an Obanacian multilingual folk song encouraging ethnic harmony, and then the national anthem of Obanacia, after an announcement in Hajorian, Baritoa, Barashan, French, and English that the radio service of We Are One would be permanently halted. However, its television service remained intact, until its cessation on September 31, 2021, with its last broadcast being an announcement, and later the old logos of WAO TV were shown. During this, 's track, "Cascade", was played, which was also heard in 's shutdown in 2008. Many Obanacians aligned this to the shutdown of the Philippine television network, occurred on May 5, 2020, and nationwide protests emerged again against the Kore government and the shutdown of WAO TV and WAO Radio.

Former WAO-owned stations
This is the list of all the television stations owned by WAO TV. The ones in italics indicate relay stations.