New York City Council Republicans Friday came out in support of Newsmax after its deplatforming by AT&T's DirecTV, writing a letter to corporate officials to express their concern and to call for a return to negotiations aimed at restoring access to the conservative news provider to millions of subscribers.
Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli, while posting the letter on Twitter, said GOP members of the council are concerned that by AT&T "unfairly cutting Newsmax from DirecTV services," the company is "not only eliminating another conservative news outlet but also unfairly stifling a growing New York City media business."
The letter, being sent to AT&T CEO John Stankey; DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow; and Jon Winkelried, the CEO of TPG Capital, says that the cancellation of Newsmax on Jan. 24 "not only appears to evince an ongoing bias against conservative news outlets" but is a move that will have a "significantly negative impact" on New York City's local economy.
DirecTV has claimed that Newsmax's demands to be paid cable license fees, which are paid to "all top 75 cable companies and to all 22 news and information channels it carries" would lead to "significantly higher costs" for customers, notes the letter.
The council members said it seems "justifiable that Newsmax, which is the fourth highest-rated cable news channel in the nation and a top 20 cable news channel overall, according to Nielsen, should receive a fair market licensing fee from DirecTV."
However, the letter notes that DirecTV demanded that Newsmax receive no fees at all, which the council members deemed an "unreasonable position" that suggests there are "other motives at play," as the company also removed One America News (OAN) last year.
Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy has said the DirecTV deplatforming was a "blatant act of censorship."
The council members also noted the "pressure from congressional Democrats to 'censor' what they deem right-wing disinformation."
They said they don't want to "immediately assume bad faith," but by canceling Newsmax, DirecTV is "silencing a popular and essential conservative voice that is vital to American discourse."
The members of the council also pointed out that any substantial revenue loss for Newsmax would harm New York City, as well.
"The company, which mainly broadcasts from its studio on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, employs hundreds of people while also supporting thousands of local jobs in a wide range of businesses," the letter states. "Newsmax has been a critical mainstay at a time when our economy has been mired in a post-pandemic slump and office vacancies are at a record high."
The letter concludes with the council members asking DirecTV to reconsider its position and return to the negotiating table to bring back the network.
The letter was signed by Borelli and fellow council members Inna Vernikov, David Carr, Joann Ariola, Vickie Paladino, and Ari Kagan.
Actions to Take Now
1. DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to cancel/complain.
2. AT&T customers call toll free at 888-855-2338 to cancel/complain for U-verse, cellular and wireless services.
3. 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!
4. 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.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.