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By: Newsmax Wires & TJVNews.com
DIRECTV and Newsmax Media, Inc. announced on Wednesday that they reached a business agreement for a multi-year distribution deal that will return the Newsmax channel to DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-verse on March 23, 2023, according to a report on the Newsmax.com web site.
When the two companies were initially unable to agree on financial terms to extend their carriage agreement, DIRECTV lost the rights to distribute the programming on Jan 25, 2023. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence in the pay TV industry, and often consumers are caught in the middle, Newsmax.com reported.
“Newsmax recognizes and appreciates that DIRECTV clearly supports diverse voices, including conservative ones,” said Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax. “As a standalone company, DIRECTV gave Newsmax its start nearly a decade ago as it continues to do with upcoming news networks, which is why we are pleased to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that will deliver our network to DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-verse customers over the next several years.”
“This resolution with Newsmax, resolving an all-too-common carriage dispute, underscores our dedication to delivering a wide array of programming and perspectives to all our customers,” said Bill Morrow, Chief Executive Officer for DIRECTV. “Through our persistent negotiations, we reached a resolution under mutually-agreeable business terms allowing us to deliver the conservative news network at the right value – a reflection of the free market at work.”
Newsmax will be available to DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-verse at no additional cost to customers, rejoining the expanded diversified news lineup, which now includes six 24/7 news networks – CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsmax, NewsNation, and The First, according to the Newsmax.com report.
Since DirectTV lost the distribution rights at the end of January, Newsmax and others who support the right of free speech and the inclusion of all news channels on cable subscriber lists had lobbied heavily for Newsmax to resume its broadcasts on DirectTV. Providing assistance in publicizing the exclusion of Newsmax on DirectTV was The Jewish Voice, a New York City based weekly newspaper.
“Using our weekly print edition that is sent out to thousands of home subscribers all over the country and particularly spotlighting this on our twice daily e-mail newsletters as well as on our social media platforms that draw heavy traffic, we are proud to say that we helped restore access to Newsmax for those who subscribe to DirectTV as their cable carrier, “ said David Ben Hooren, the publisher of The Jewish Voice.
Ben Hooren added that, “We are also proud of our friendship with Newmax founder and chairman, Christopher Ruddy. He has created one of the best 24/7 news channels on the market. The team of reporters, talk show hosts and commentators that he has assembled to offer the American people highly accurate, truthful, objective and incisive news it beyond remarkable. This is why Newsmax has gained the kind of astounding popularity that it has and we need this kind of channel more than ever.”
This agreement marks DIRECTV’s latest successful resolution of a carriage dispute, an unfortunate but increasingly frequent occurrence involving nearly every pay TV and streaming provider attempting to keep rising consumer costs in check. Newsmax.com reported that over the past five years alone, the industry has endured no less than 140 distinct disputes pitting programmers or station groups against their primary distributors. While some resolve in as little as a few hours to days or weeks, others last several months to more than a year. During that same timeframe, DIRECTV has resolved public disputes with approximately 50 programmers or station groups, typically lasting a few days or weeks, but routinely extending to several months in some instances, Newsmax.com reported.
Important: Now that Newsmax is back on DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, and U-verse, if you have any questions or want to subscribe, call DIRECTV today at 855 333 4404!
