DirecTV Could Drop
NEWSMAX Tonight, House GOP Furious Over 'Deplatforming' (Connecting the Dots: DirecTV, AT&T, K. Rupert Murdoch,
FEC & Soros Funding, All Networking To Shut Down Newsmax)
Newsmax
By Marisa Herman
| Tuesday, 24 January 2023 06:36
PM EST
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/newsmax-directv-house/2023/01/24/id/1105756/
Several dozen Republican lawmakers have voiced serious
concerns about DirecTV’s alleged plans to “deplatform” and censor Newsmax from
its channel lineup as early as midnight on Tuesday.
Last Friday, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, and 41 other
Republican House members signed a letter sent to AT&T, DirecTV, and hedge fund
TPG Capital, the minority operator of the satellite system.
Hunt’s letter stated that the members of the House
Republican Conference are “deeply concerned about this undemocratic assault on
free speech.”
If Newsmax is deplatformed, it would be the second time
AT&T’s DirecTV has deplatformed a major conservative news channel in the
past year.
Newsmax, the nation’s fourth highest-rated cable news
channel and a top 20 channel overall, has been carried on all major cable
systems.
DirecTV has continued to claim that the moves against OAN
and Newsmax were for cost-cutting reasons, but dozens of liberal news,
information, and entertainment channels — with far less ratings than Newsmax
and OAN — have been consistently renewed by DirecTV.
“If Newsmax is removed from DIRECTV, in less than a year
House Republicans will have lost two of the three cable news channels that
reach conservative voters on a platform that primarily serves
conservative-leaning areas of the country,” Hunt stated in his letter.
The letter was signed by some of the most significant
members of the House, including the GOP Conference chair, Rep. Elise Stefanik
of New York, House Oversight Chair James Comer of Kentucky, and Ways and Means
Chair Jason Smith of Missouri, among many others.
News that DirecTV could drop Newsmax as early as Tuesday
at midnight erupted over social media.
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., took to Twitter and blasted the
move as “absurd,” adding that DirecTV “caved to the woke mob and partisan
demands of Democrats to censure Newsmax."
“America deserves to hear ALL points of view!” he
tweeted.
DirecTV's decision to drop OAN and possible eliminate
Newsmax comes on the heels of a February 2021 letter written by Rep. Anna
Eshoo, D-Calif., and then-Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., demanding that cable
and satellite TV providers explain their alleged role in the “spread of
dangerous misinformation” by carrying conservative networks.
The letter only targeted Fox News, Newsmax, and OAN — and
was distributed just days before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee
hearing on disinformation and extremism in media.
After the Eshoo and McNerney letter, in April 2022,
AT&T removed OAN from DirecTV.
Hunt told the Washington Examiner that he was “deeply
troubled by DirecTV’s decision to remove Newsmax from their lineup of
channels.”
"Deplatforming Newsmax is the latest development in
the Left’s ongoing campaign to purge voices they disagree with from the public
sphere,” he said. “This decision by DirecTV and TPG Capital will cut off tens
of millions of viewers who rely on Newsmax for their news and information.”
AT&T continues to own 70% of DirecTV, but added TPG
Capital as its partner with a 30% stakeholder in 2021.
TPG, a Texas-based financial firm and hedge fund, is known for its liberal
politics. FEC
documents show that since 1993, 90% of its donations have gone to Democratic
candidates and committees.
Hunt’s letter added: “Newsmax is one of the most watched
cable news channels in America; millions of people turn to Newsmax as a source
of trusted information. Now more than ever, the American people need access to
a free and fair press. I am sure that DirecTV will claim that removing Newsmax
from their lineup of channels was purely a business decision, but that is hard
to accept when liberal news channels like Vice Media continue to remain on the
air. Vice is a ratings failure for DirecTV, yet they continue to profit from
their relationship with DirecTV.”
DirecTV has publicly stated that it won’t grant Newsmax
any cable license fees, even though its pays 22 liberal news and information
channels' fees, many with ratings much lower than Newsmax.
Newsmax stated that while it was still in negotiations,
“we expect DirecTV, and its majority owner AT&T, to treat Newsmax on a fair
and equitable basis in relation to all of the channels it carries, especially
after both companies deplatformed OAN last year.”
DirecTV also has falsely claimed to media outlets and
Congress that Newsmax is asking for a fee but still wants to keep a free stream
on OTT platforms.
“That is simply false. DirecTV knows that no
operator pays a fee while Newsmax streams free,” Christopher Ruddy, CEO of
Newsmax Media, said.
Hunt’s letter claims that DirecTV is “moving to
deplatform NEWSMAX by denying it cable fees on a fair and equitable basis.”
Hunt noted that DirecTV carries the Vice network a
left-wing channel targeting millennials, and that TPG is a major investor in
Vice.
Despite having miniscule ratings, Vice receives fees from
DirecTV that are much higher than Newsmax.
“We deliver Newsmax to our national base of satellite and
IPTV customers today at no cost to the programmer or our customers, ultimately
offering Newsmax the ability to generate considerable advertising revenue at no
cost,” a DirecTV spokesperson said in a statement.
“We’ve discussed with Newsmax on several occasions that
we’d like to offer their programming, however, the network is now seeking
significant fees that we cannot pass on to our broad customer base."
Newsmax’s license fee request was accepted by three major
cable operators last year upon renewal.
Last year DirecTV made profits of about $2.7 billion.
They have yet to deplatform or eliminate any liberal news or information
channels despite many having low ratings.
Newsmax is urging its supporters to contact their
congressmen and senators to oppose censorship of Newsmax demand support for
fairness and equity for conservative media.
Connecting the Dots:
Haim
Saban is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution
(think tank), a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East
Policy, and was a director at DIRECTV.
Saban
Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
John L. Thornton is
the chair for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a
director at DIRECTV.
Robert A. Helman was
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
is a partner at Mayer Brown.
Mayer Brown is
the lobby firm for AT&T Inc.
Laura D'Andrea
Tyson was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank),
is a director at AT&T Inc.
AT&T
Inc. was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Akin,
Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for AT&T
Inc.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld, LLP and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution
(think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a
benefactor for the Human Rights Watch and is the founder &
chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Human Rights
Watch and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).
John J.
Studzinski is a director at the Human Rights Watch, a director
at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and
a papal knighthood knight.
papal knighthood is
an honor conferred by pope for the Roman Catholic Church.
K. Rupert Murdoch is
a papal knighthood knight, the title of his biography is “The
Man Who Owns the News” and was a director at DIRECTV.
Samuel A.
DiPiazza Jr. is a director at DIRECTV and was a trustee at
the Committee for Economic Development.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for
Economic Development and the Center for American Progress.
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American Progress.
AT&T
Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Laura D'Andrea
Tyson is a fellow at the Center for American Progress, a
director at AT&T Inc. and was a trustee at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Haim
Saban is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution
(think tank), a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East
Policy, and was a director at DIRECTV.
Saban
Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
John L. Thornton is
the chair for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a
director at DIRECTV.
Robert A. Helman was
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
is a partner at Mayer Brown.
Mayer Brown is the
lobby firm for AT&T Inc.
Laura D'Andrea Tyson was
a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a
director at AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc. was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
Akin,
Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for AT&T
Inc.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &
Feld, LLP and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution
(think tank).
Trevor Potter was
a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a chairman
for the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
William Oldaker
was a general counsel for the Federal Election Commission (FEC),
a fundraiser for Joseph R. Biden Jr. and is a
co-founder of the Oldaker Law Group.
R. Hunter Biden is
a co-founder of predecessor company Oldaker Law Group and is Joseph
R. Biden Jr’s son.
Joseph R. Biden Jr. William
Oldaker was his fundraiser, is R. Hunter Biden’s father and a
regent at the Smithsonian Institution.
David M.
Rubenstein is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution and a
co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Shirley Ann
Jackson is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution and a
trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
John L. Thornton is
the chair for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a
director at DIRECTV.
Robert A. Helman was
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
is a partner at Mayer Brown.
Mayer Brown is
the lobby firm for AT&T Inc.
Laura D'Andrea
Tyson was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank)
and is a director at AT&T Inc.
AT&T
Inc. was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Resources: Past Research
The Weather Channel
Begs Congress to Intervene in Negotiations with DirecTV (Past Research on DIRECTV)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2014
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-weather-channel-begs-congress-to.html
AT&T CEO Vows
‘Independence’ for CNN in Merger With Time Warner (Past
Research on AT&T)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/10/at-ceo-vows-independence-for-cnn-in.html
Federal Election
Commission (FEC) (Past Research on the FEC)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2015
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