Americans should know that AT&T/DirecTV's deplatforming of Newsmax was due to Newsmax's message, Sen. James Lankford said Wednesday on Newsmax.
"Five weeks now; I am surprised it's gone on this long," the Oklahoma Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" of DirecTV's removal of Newsmax from its channel lineup. "This is a simple contract dispute between two companies, and one company is basically saying, Hey, I don't like this voice. I don't like your proposal on it."
Lankford added: "Make sure that you're getting access to the shows that you want to be able to watch, the commentary that you want to be able to get and the news and information that you're not getting anywhere else."
DirecTV customers demand Newsmax is returned! Oppose censorship – sign The Petition – Click Here
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.
The provider 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.
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 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 television.
"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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