Newsmax is back on DirecTV with ‘multi-year distribution deal’ following conservative backlash

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.

“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. 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.

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.

Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles