Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, remains focused on the objective of seeing Newsmax return to DirecTV, he said on Twitter over the weekend.
Cruz has been extremely vocal about DirecTV's decision to drop Newsmax from its lineup.
"My objective is for Newsmax to get back on DirecTV. Too many players in corporate America have given in to censorship," Cruz tweeted Saturday with video of his appearance Friday on Newsmax's "Chris Salcedo Show."
DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to complain, demand Newsmax is returned! Oppose censorship – sign The Petition – Click Here
During his appearance with Salcedo, Cruz said that DirecTV's response to his letter about the company's refusal to carry Newsmax "failed to answer the questions that we asked."
"I'm going to keep pressing them and pressing them hard," Cruz said told Salcedo.
"My objective is for Newsmax to be back on DirecTV," he added. "Millions of Texans enjoy watching Newsmax, and I think viewers ought to have a choice."
"We've seen too many players in corporate America give in to censorship, give in to the left saying, Silence voices we don't like. If Big Business doesn't agree with Newsmax, fine. Argue that you guys are wrong. But don't try to deprive viewers of the right to be able to see intelligent commentary and news coverage."
During a Feb. 15 appearance on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Cruz said DirecTV's decision to deplatform Newsmax was "indefensible."
"It is deeply concerning. I am a big fan of Newsmax. I think ya'll do a terrific job. And I think the American people need outlets where truth can be heard," Cruz said on the day that was the deadline for a response from his letter to AT&T, DirecTV and TPG, a private equity firm that almost exclusively contributes to Democrats' election campaigns.
AT&T's DirecTV cut Newsmax's signal Jan. 24, blocking the network from more than 13 million subscribers of the satellite service, DirecTV Stream, and U-Verse.
Newsmax is America's fourth highest-rated news network in the cable landscape and a top-20 overall channel that reaches 25 million Americans weekly, according to Nielsen.
DirecTV said it dropped the popular network due to "cost-cutting" measures, but it also carries 22 left-leaning news channels, many of which draw considerably lower ratings than Newsmax, and all of which get paid license fees.
DirecTV has claimed Newsmax was demanding "excessive fees" that would amount to "tens of millions" of dollars. Newsmax has denied that, saying it is seeking an approximate fee of $1 per cable subscriber per year, which is among the lowest requested fees in cable.
"This was never about the fees being excessive," Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said.
"This is an act of political discrimination and censorship," Ruddy added.
Actions to Take Now
1. DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to complain, demand Newsmax is back on air!
2. Call your congressman or senator at 202-224-3121 and demand they stop AT&T/DirecTV's censorship of NEWSMAX — ask them to give you a date on the hearings!
3. Go to our online petition and get more info: iWantNewsmax.com.
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