AT&T's DirecTV has responded to the Senate Commerce Committee's demand for specific questions about the decision to remove Newsmax from its channel lineup, but the response has been "patently insufficient," Sen. Ted Cruz said on Newsmax Tuesday.
"The solution that I want to see is [for] DirecTV to put Newsmax back on the air," the Texas Republican, who is leading the effort on the committee, told Newsmax's "National Report."
He noted that he is leading the committee's efforts to hold the satellite provider accountable for its actions, and even though the company has been asked "specific questions about the decision, the company has failed to answer many of the questions that we're asking, so we're going to continue pressing and I hope to press until we get them to change this decision. It's wrong, and it's denying Americans of the ability to choose where you get your news and where you get your information."
DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to complain, demand Newsmax is returned! Oppose censorship!
The decision to remove Newsmax was "terrible," said Cruz.
"I think there are millions of Texans and millions of Americans across this country who want to have choices in viewing and where we get our news," the senator added. "I'm a big fan of Newsmax. I think you do a terrific job, and this is sadly another example, I believe, of corporate political bias."
AT&T's DirecTV cut Newsmax's signal on 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 the Nielsen ratings.
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 Christopher Ruddy said. "DirecTV's position has always been that Newsmax — of all cable news channels — should never get any cable fee whatsoever, not one penny."
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.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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