Satellite Censorship?

Newsmax claims DirecTV dropped the channel to silence political speech. Is there more to the story? A Dispatch Explainer.

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Signage for the Newsmax on display at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting on May 28, 2022. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Satellite television provider DirecTV dropped conservative news network Newsmax at midnight Wednesday, sparking complaints of cancel culture and censorship. Is it?

Newsmax cries censorship.

Newsmax has accused the satellite provider of deplatforming the channel for political reasons, now roughly a year after DirecTV dropped One America News Network (OAN)—another right-leaning news channel that grew in prominence during Donald Trump’s presidency. 

Newsmax has long trafficked in 2020 election denialism. In 2021, Dominion Voting Systems filed defamation lawsuits against both Newsmax and OAN, accusing both of damaging the electronic voting machine’s reputation by claiming it helped rig the 2020 presidential election in President Joe Biden’s favor.

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  1. Dolanchristie

    Frank Pavone is another one lying to us. NOW I see why he got laicized. Don't let your judgement get clouded by your friends.

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    Javier Seravalli

    Ridiculous for Newsmax to demand payment to carry the full programming of Newsmax when LG, Samsung and Pluto offer it for FREE!

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  3. Fidlerrich

    "13 million DirecTV customers," of which maybe a hundred actually watch NewsMax.

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  4. Emma

    Anyone know who these representatives are? Lol.

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    Mick.Staton

    Let's see if I understand the NewsMax business plan:

    1. Produce programming that nobody wants to watch.
    2. Demand DirectTV pay you even higher fees to carry your channel
    3. Claim censorship when DirectTV declines to continue providing your network.

    Does that about sum it up?

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  6. Keith

    "...Fox News, which has more viewers than MSNBC, CNN and Newsmax combined"

    Who is the mainstream media again?

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    1. DTruitt

      That would be ABC/NBC/CBS which collectively average 18 million viewers/day … vs Fox News Channel which averages about 1.4 million viewers/day.

      So it’s obvious which are mainstream and who is not.

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      1. Keith

        I think you might be comparing non news programs to news programs. Check out prime time cable news.

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    Wilhelm

    I'm shocked -- SHOCKED! -- to find that NewsMax is not being entirely honest with its viewers.

    Thanks, Audrey.

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    Chevesl

    Honestly, this is a smart move for NewsONANism or whatever it calls itself “THEY ARE CENSORING US” is boob bait gold. Their sad FoxNews knockoff hosts get to play victim and their handful of fans get to feel subversive.

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    1. BadgerBill

      NewsONANism? Very nice Biblical reference. Well done.

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  9. DHWATERS.DW

    Apparently the word 'censorship' has a unique meaning in the right wing MAGA dictionary, one NOT found in Meriam Webster, The Oxford English Language Dictionary, or the US Constitution. Would be interesting to see the reaction from MAGA world if FOX was forced to broadcast Rachael Maddow's left wing screes . . .

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    Mudskipper

    I can imagine the negotiations:

    Newsmax: Pay us the rates we want or we'll make a big stink about political censorship.

    DirectTV: Your rates are too high given your viewership.

    Newsmax: Do you want to be dragged through congressional investigations? Republicans won the House you know and we own more than a few of the representatives.

    DirectTV: Are you blackmailing us?

    Newsmax: We are standing for Freedom of Speech! Now give us the rates we want or we will sic Wesley Hunt on you, you liberal commies!

    DirectTV: Get lost.

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