Sen. Marsha Blackburn told Newsmax that she was "so surprised" to learn that AT&T DirecTV deplatformed Newsmax and that she is working to raise awareness about the issue.
"What we want to do is make certain that there are more options, that there is more free speech, and that we do not see suppression of free speech," the Tennessee Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America."
Blackburn added that "we have written [and] we are working on this issue. We have helped to raise awareness on this issue."
DirecTV customers call toll free at 877-763-9762 to cancel/complain
DirecTV, which dropped Newsmax on Jan. 24, claimed Newsmax and OAN were removed as "cost-cutting" measures.
Newsmax is the fourth highest-rated cable news channel, reaching 25 million Americans, according to Nielsen.
At the same time, the service continues to carry 22 left-leaning news channels, many with much lower ratings than Newsmax. And all of those channels get license fees.
This week, DirecTV 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, and that the total amount of the deal was a fraction of "tens of millions."
"This was never about the fees being excessive," said Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax. "DirecTV's position has always been that Newsmax of all cable news channels should never get any cable fee whatsoever, not one penny. "
DirecTV has issued a statement that it wants Newsmax back on its service, but only on its terms.
Ruddy said there has been no real negotiation and no flexibility by DirecTV in its refusal to pay any carriage fees to the network.
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.
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