Close to two dozen prominent Jewish leaders from across the United States are demanding AT&T return Newsmax to its DirecTV lineup.
A group of 23 Jewish community leaders wrote to DirecTV's parent company, questioning and challenging the recent removal of Newsmax from the satellite content distributor.
Former Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, former Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Norm Coleman, R-Minn., former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Republican Jewish Coalition's Matt Brooks, and Zionist Organization of America's President Mort Klein were among the signers.
DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to complain, demand Newsmax is returned! Oppose censorship – sign The Petition – Click Here
Other signatories to the letter included some of the best known names in Jewish religious and political circles, including Rabbi Arthur Schneier, former ADL chief Abraham Foxman, and Malcolm Hoenlein.
The group stated 13 million homes being denied access to Newsmax include many Jewish Americans.
Saying they had "serious concern" about Newsmax's removal, the Jewish leaders wrote, " . . . We represent millions of Jewish Americans."
"NEWSMAX has been a crucial way for us to reach our fellow Americans to share our perspectives on antisemitism, anti-Zionism, the State of Israel and other matters important to our community."
Former Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, who also served as an independent senator, said the deplatforming of Newsmax was "outrageous" and "not good for free speech in America," in an interview with Newsmax last week.
"It really deserves to be on there," Lieberman said. "It looks like ideological censorship by DirecTV and that's just plain un-American."
Bryan Leib, a spokesmen for the signatories, said Newsmax plays an important role for American Jews.
"Considering the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in the U.S., we believe Newsmax is needed now more than ever," he said.
DirecTV, which reported profits last year of $2.7 billion, deplatformed Newsmax on Jan. 24 in what the company claimed was a "cost-cutting" measure.
DirecTV has claimed Newsmax was demanding "excessive fees" that would cost them in the "tens of millions" of dollars.
Newsmax has denied these claims, saying it was seeking a fee of about $1 per cable subscriber per year, among the lowest fees asked for in cable.
DirecTV continues to carry 22 left-leaning news channels, many with much lower ratings than Newsmax. And all of those channels get license fees.
Dershowitz told Newsmax's Greta Van Susteren the Jewish leaders believe the network is a reliable source for news of interest to the Jewish community, including coverage such viewers do not get on other cable TV networks.
"They say, 'Look, Newsmax has always been extremely fair to Israel at a time when many other networks are not, and by taking Newsmax off the air, you're making it hard for the American people to get a fair assessment of policies in Israel and policies toward the Jewish community,'" Dershowitz said last Monday on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren."
Leib agrees and says his group is not seeking to condemn AT&T and DirecTV.
"We believe now is the time for AT&T to reverse this decision and put NEWSMAX back on air," he said.
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.