Newsmax has just announced that it has ended a bitter financial battle with DirecTV and will be returning on-air Thursday after the cable news outlet was dropped over a carriage dispute and the satellite service was accused of limiting conservative voices.
An internal memo that was sent out Wednesday morning announced that Newsmax would return to DirecTV, according to Mediaite.
“This deal marks the end of a months-long carriage dispute that stemmed from financial differences with Newsmax and is ending with an agreement that comes at no additional cost to our customers,” DirecTV declared in a statement. “It has always been our desire to provide Newsmax, and never about limiting conservative voices, a view that Newsmax now recognizes and accepts.”
“The terms of the renewal – which includes a multi-year distribution deal – were not disclosed,” a DirecTV representative noted.
NEWSMAX is coming back to DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, and U-verse on March 23 after reaching a business agreement. Fortunately, it’s become clear that DIRECTV supports diversified perspectives, including conservative voices. See more: https://t.co/PhYvR88Xf6 pic.twitter.com/x1y4p80PHi
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 22, 2023
“This resolution with Newsmax, resolving an all-too-common carriage dispute, underscores our dedication to delivering a wide array of programming and perspectives to our customers,” Bill Morrow, chief executive of DirecTV, said in a statement. “Through our persistent negotiations, we reached a resolution under mutually-agreeable business terms allowing us to deliver the conservative news network at the right value – a reflection of the free market at work.”
DirectTV is claiming that the dispute was over “significant fees” that were ostensibly demanded by Newsmax. But Republicans asserted that it was yet one more incident of “cancel culture” taking place involving political bias by the left.
“We’ve discussed with Newsmax on several occasions that we’d like to offer their programming, however the network is now seeking significant fees that we would have to pass on to our broad customer base,” DirecTV proclaimed in a statement in January.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was incensed over the development and threatened to strip AT&T of its federal subsidies over dropping Newsmax from its DirecTV products in January.
“As long as you continue to censor conservatives and attack the press [networks like Newsmax], I will make it my personal mission to strip the wasteful ridiculous federal subsidies you receive at DirecTV,” she vowed from the House floor.
“And to all the ‘woke’ corporations, this isn’t a threat — it’s absolutely a promise. If you continue to stifle free speech in this great country and muzzle the press corps, Congress will have no choice but to hold you accountable. And I promise you, my colleagues and I are happy to take you on to preserve free speech for all Americans,” Boebert added.
REP. BOEBERT: "Newsmax was removed from DirecTV. […] What’s next?! Fox News? Will The Weather Channel be canceled next if they refuse to bow to the left’s altar of climate change. What about the History Channel? We see on a regular basis the left wants to erase History…" pic.twitter.com/AGgrZWVdiw
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 1, 2023
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) also had a lot to say concerning the removal of Newsmax from DirecTV.
“There’s only one reason why we’re seeing this cancel culture affect telecommunications. And it’s because they don’t like what you have to say. It’s not a business case. It’s not some sort of entrepreneurial play. It’s content-based censorship, and we need a multi-vector attack on this,” he stated.
“The anti-trust division of the Department of Justice should be looking into this. The FEC should open an investigation into this. And of course, the United States Congress should speak loudly about such an infringement of the rights of Americans to use just their basic access to the digital world to obtain diverse viewpoints,” Gaetz contended.
AT&T's DirecTV has REMOVED @Newsmax from its lineup.
This is blatant content-based censorship. Congress, the Antitrust Division of the DOJ, and the FCC need to investigate @ATT's decision immediately.
Americans should not be denied their right to access diverse viewpoints. pic.twitter.com/gWr4euXYLa
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 31, 2023
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy is very happy that the dispute has been resolved.
“Newsmax recognizes and appreciates that DIRECTV clearly supports diverse voices, including conservative ones,” Ruddy said in a statement. “As a standalone company, DIRECTV helped give Newsmax its start nearly a decade ago as it continues to do with upcoming news networks, which is why we are pleased to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that will deliver our network to DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-verse customers over the next several years.”
In addition to resuming carriage on DirecTV’s satellite service, Newsmax will be carried on the company’s streaming service and U-verse video service. Those services have between 13.5 million and 14 million subscribers, according to The Wall Street Journal. As a result of the agreement, Newsmax will now reach over 60 million US homes.
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