Newsmax is no longer found on DirecTV, and that decision has led to outcries from Congressional Republicans of “de-platforming” and “demonetization” of conservative voices. Podcaster Keith Olbermann believes those stances are poppycock.
Thursday, Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) told Newsmax that Congress has “a number of questions…that we’ll demand answers for”, adding that proceedings could go “as far as having public hearings”. Later in the day, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) told the cable outlet “This is about freedom, it’s about America. It’s about the right to have discourse and discussion about ideas and visions and the future of the country.”
“I’m certainly going to push for hearings and discussions about this,” Van Drew added. “I think it’s more than necessary — it’s absolutely important for the future of our nation.”
“For some reason, Representatives like Van Drew and Waltz keep leaving out one little detail here: Newsmax has always given its 24/7 brainwashing feed for free to carriers like Roku and DirecTV but suddenly it has demanded DirecTV pay Newsmax for Newsmax,” Olbermann said.
“DirecTV said ‘No, thanks’. So Waltz and Van Drew want Congressional hearings about one company deciding not to buy another company’s product, in America. Which, I believe, is called ‘communistic, socialistic, anti-capitalist terrorism!'”
The removal of Newsmax from DirecTV is the second time in a calendar year that the satellite provider has removed a conservative cable channel from its lineup. In April of 2022, OAN was removed.
After removing Newsmax from its channel lineup, DirecTV replaced it with The First, a conservative video platform that features the likes of Dana Loesch, Jesse Kelly, and Bill O’Reilly, among others.
“DirecTV values different viewpoints and perspectives and will always work to preserve expansive choice among a wide variety of entertainment and information services to appeal to the unique tastes and interests of our diverse customer base,” DirecTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun said while announcing the addition of The First.
