{"id":1832796,"date":"2023-02-02T11:50:34","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T16:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1832796"},"modified":"2023-02-02T11:55:22","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T16:55:22","slug":"desantis-urges-congress-to-investigate-directv-for-dropping-newsmax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-urges-congress-to-investigate-directv-for-dropping-newsmax\/","title":{"rendered":"DeSantis Urges Congress to Investigate DirecTV for Dropping Newsmax"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdesantis-urges-congress-to-investigate-directv-for-dropping-newsmax%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1832796&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47-->\n<p>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested that Congress investigate AT&#038;T-owned DirecTV&#8217;s decision to abandon conservative channels. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-newsmax\">Newsmax<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there should be no ideological litmus test when you have these big companies that have the decision to make or break a news network, or any type of network,\u201d DeSantis said\u00a0on Jan. 31.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey will give different rationales for why they don\u2019t want to do it, but the reality is they have so much other content that is very lightly viewed, and yet they keep that on, and it seems it is the One America News and the Newsmax who are being targeted,\u201d DeSantis added. \u201cSo I think it does warrant an investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DirecTV <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/newsmax-dropped-by-directv-decries-anti-conservative-censorship_5009689.html\">Removed Newsmax<\/a> On Jan. 24, the network removed its channel lineup, less than a year following the cancellation of One America News (OAN), a conservative network on its platform.<\/p>\n<p>The cable provider said it had wanted to keep Newsmax but the channel\u2019s demand for rate increases would have led to price hikes for its customers.<\/p>\n<p>Newsmax has dismissed DirecTV\u2019s claims that the decision to drop the channel was merely a fee dispute.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a blatant act of political discrimination and censorship against Newsmax,\u201d Christopher Ruddy, Newsmax CEO stated in a &#8220;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/www.newsmax.com\/newsfront\/newsmax-at-t-directv\/2023\/01\/24\/id\/1105756\/&#8221;>statement<\/a>. \u201cThe most extreme liberal channels, even with tiny ratings, get fees from AT&#038;T\u2019s DirecTV, but Newsmax and OAN need to be deplatformed.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3584749\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2020\/11\/18\/chris-ruddy-1200x843.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy size-medium wp-image-3584749\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/white.png\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/chris-ruddy-600x421-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"421\"   style=\"display:none\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3584749\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/chris-ruddy-600x421-1.jpg\" alt=\"Epoch Times Photo\" width=\"600\" height=\"421\" \/><\/noscript><\/figcaption><\/a> In 2018, Chris Ruddy was Newsmax&#8217;s CEO. (Newsmax via AP).<\/figure>\n<p>DeSantis stated that Congress or the House is better. \u201cwould probably be best equipped\u201d To conduct the investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really think this is something that the Congress needs to look at. And I think that they need to ensure that there\u2019s not intellectual discrimination going on when it comes to what people are able to view,\u201d The governor also added.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Congress<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Many Republican legislators support Newsmax, but criticize DirecTV.<\/p>\n<p>January 30, House Speaker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-kevin-mccarthy\">Kevin McCarthy<\/a> (R-Calif.) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsmax.com\/newsmax-tv\/mccarthy\/2023\/01\/30\/id\/1106562\/\">Telled<\/a> Newsmax reported that Congress will hold hearings soon about deplatforming the channel.<\/p>\n<p>James Comer, Republican of Kentucky, Chair of House Committee on Oversight and Accountability <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsmax.com\/newsmax-tv\/james-comer-directv-newsmax\/2023\/01\/27\/id\/1106175\/\">Telled<\/a> Newsmax Jan. 27: There will be \u201ca committee that\u2019s going to hold hearings\u201d on DirecTV\u2019s decision to drop the channel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to meet later today and try to discuss which committee\u2019s going to do what,\u201d Comer, he said. \u201cThat\u2019s certainly on the agenda. I\u2019m very concerned by this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to try to get to the bottom of this,\u201d Comer added. \u201cI\u2019ve had several people from AT&#038;T reach out to me. We\u2019re going to have a meeting with them and, hopefully, we can get this resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., House Republican Conference Chair, took to Twitter the day before to announce that House GOP was being formed \u201cis examining this in detail now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs I\u2019ve said, deplatforming @NEWSMAX is unacceptable,\u201d Stefanik <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EliseStefanik\/status\/1618692121505964051?s=20\">Write<\/a>. \u201cFamilies rely on this conservative program for news, including in #NY21. It\u2019s very clear bias!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with Newsmax, Sen. Rick Scott (R.Fla.), called for Senate hearings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got to get to the bottom of this,\u201d Scott <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsmax.com\/newsmax-tv\/rick-scott-newsmax-directv\/2023\/01\/25\/id\/1105937\/\"><\/a>. \u201cThis censorship by companies like AT&#038;T of conservative voices, what Google does, what Facebook does, what Elon Musk has put out about what Twitter did \u2026 this has got to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to hold hearings here, we need to get to the bottom of this,\u201d Scott stated. \u201cI\u2019m going to do everything that I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><b>\u2018Big Blow to Republican Party\u2019<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> weighed in on DirecTV\u2019s decision on Jan. 25, calling the decision a \u201cdisgusting move\u201d In a post to his Truth Social account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Radical Left seems to have taken over the mind and soul of AT&#038;T. This is a big blow to the Republican Party, and to America itself,\u201d Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/109753423326216737\">Write<\/a>. \u201cI, for one, will be dropping all association with AT&#038;T and DIRECTV, and I have plenty. This is just one of many reasons why we must WIN IN 2024!!!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/trump-begins-2024-campaign-in-new-hampshire-south-carolina_5018303.html\">Make sure to hit the campaign trail<\/a> January 28th, with stops in New Hampshire &#038; South Carolina. These were his first campaign appearances since January 28th, with stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina.https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/donald-trump-launches-2024-bid-for-white-house_4865191.html&#8221;>announcing<\/a> His November bid for the White House.<\/p>\n<p>Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/gingrich-questions-directvs-motive-in-canceling-newsmax-a-lot-more-about-ideology_5010880.html\">interview The Epoch Times<\/a> last week, criticized DirecTV\u2019s decision as an \u201carbitrary use of power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think this is the kind of arbitrary use of power that people want to be really looking at. I don\u2019t understand how AT&#038;T can just censor a network,\u201d Gingrich said.<\/p>\n<p>He said, \u201cIt\u2019s helpful to have many news outlets, and I would be as opposed to dropping MSNBC or dropping CNN as to dropping Newsmax.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested that Congress investigate AT&#038;T-owned DirecTV&#8217;s decision to abandon conservative channels. Newsmax. \u201cI think there should be no ideological litmus test when you have these big companies that have the decision to make or break a news network, or any type of network,\u201d DeSantis said\u00a0on Jan. 31. \u201cThey will give different &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1832799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[4402,4980,14547,17387,4235,16322,4399],"class_list":["post-1832796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-congress","tag-desantis","tag-directv","tag-dropping","tag-investigate","tag-newsmax","tag-urges"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1832796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1832796"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1832796\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1832799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1832796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1832796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1832796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}