Rep. on DirecTV’s decision to remove Newsmax. McCarthy promised congressional hearings

After conservative news network Newsmax abruptly pulled itself out of AT&T’s DirecTV, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confirmed to Newsmax’s Sean Spicer that he found the situation “very concerning” and in an interview he pledged to hold congressional hearings on the issue. .

Discussing the issue on Spicer’s show “Spicer & Company” on Monday, McCarthy said, “You’re going to see action, because we believe it’s a responsibility for everyone to have a choice about what news they want to hear.” AT&T’s move shocked cable viewers last week, especially as it is rated as the 4th highest-rated cable news channel, boasting an audience of nearly 25 million viewers.

“NEWSMAX should not be treated any differently based on being a conservative news outlet,” he says @SpeakerMcCarthy.

“It’s very concerning to me and I hope we fix this.” pic.twitter.com/t6YHqBda8W

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 30, 2023

“It really comes down to free speech,” McCarthy continued. “Newsmax should never be punished for being a conservative news outlet.”

The call to cut NewsMax from the channel lineup was blamed on DirecTV’s cost-cutting, which has worried many conservatives since last April, when congressional Democrats urged AT&T to drop the ostensibly conservative network One America News. A network for ‘disinformation’.

According to Newsmax, “DirectTV refused to negotiate a fair price for the fee with Newsmax, telling the network it would never pay any licensing fees.”

Newsmax is paid by virtually every other cable news network, including CNN, which has historically and over the years suffered from large declines in overall viewership.

Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax, said DirecTV’s decision was essentially “political discrimination” and “a blatant act of censorship”.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy found the deplatforming of Newsmax “very concerning,” promising that Congress would soon hold a hearing on the matter. https://t.co/YS2rgtCJai pic.twitter.com/RaW4m0nC7F

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 31, 2023

Related: CNN mocked after suffering worst ratings in nearly a decade

House Republicans respond

So far, forty Republicans in the House, including popular conservatives Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, Lauren Bobert and Ronnie Jackson, have signed a letter to AT&T, accusing DirecTV of “actively working to limit conservative views on its system.”

“This is extremely concerning to members of Congress because it stifles political discourse and cripples our ability to connect with our constituents,” the letter read.

Republicans promised to examine “the extent to which House Democrats and officials in federal office have colluded with private companies to limit, restrict and evade First Amendment rights.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik, the current House Republican Conference Chair, signed the letter and later posted on her Twitter account “De-platforming Newsmax, a popular news channel that many of my constituents rely on in #NY21, is unacceptable. news.”

It is unacceptable to de-platform Newsmax, the popular news channel of many of my constituents. #NY21 Dependable for news.https://t.co/hYAchN6Quq

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 25, 2023

Senator Rick Scott of Florida also responded to the issue last week.

“We’ve got to get to the bottom of this,” Scott said. “This censorship by companies like AT&T of conservative voices, [like] What Elon Musk said about what Google does, what Facebook does, what Twitter does, it has to stop.

Sen. Scott continued, “We’ve got to hold inquiries here, we’ve got to get to the bottom of this. I’m going to do my best. He already got rid of another conservative network earlier, some time last year, now Newsmax. That is what they are trying to do, they are trying to silence our voices and we have to fight for this.

Rick Scott Calls for Congressional Inquiry into Newsmax Dropping DirecTV

(Note: The US is currently on track to default on its debt without congressional action) pic.twitter.com/mKteAg3Vrn

— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) January 26, 2023

Related: Twitter Files Prove Left-Wing Think Tank Manipulates Media With Disinformation

Not a positive trend

Over the past several years, conservatives have been vocal about their concerns that Big Tech and the US government, as well as the popular media, have colluded to spread Democrat-led narratives such as a fake Russia-collusion conspiracy to undermine Trump White. Home or work to censor dissenting voices.

Currently, a GOP-led bill introduced by Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio would effectively ban federal agencies from working directly with big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter after the FBI was found to be working with both social media platforms. Censor online conversations regarding controversial Hunter Biden laptop story.

“The collusion between bureaucrats and Big Tech has gone on for a long time,” Jordan said. “Government agencies should not censor Americans’ freedom of speech.”

Called the “Speech Protected from Government Interference Act,” the bill prevents federal officials from using their authority to “contract, grant-making, rulemaking, license, permit, investigate or enforce actions — to promote lawful censorship. Speech that censors the speech of a third party or private entity or lawyer.”