Recently DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM announced that they had dropped Newsmax from their TV services. Now DIRECTV has once again reaffirms that they would like to bring back Newsmax to DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM.
“Our differences with Newsmax are economic, not political or ideological. Newsmax made unreasonable demands that would force DIRECTV customers to fund the network’s shift from a free nationwide streaming service to one that will require a pay TV subscription. Since we would not agree to Newsmax’s demand to pay them tens of millions of dollars in licensing fees, DIRECTV was no longer permitted by Newsmax to air its content.” DIRECTV said in a statement on their website.
To help address Newsmax being removed, DIRECTV recently added The First to help fill the spot that Newsmax once filled. Now the question is can DIRECTV and Newsmax reach a deal that will make both happy?
Here is the full statement from DIRECTV:
DIRECTV REMAINS INTERESTED IN BRINGING NEWSMAX BACK
DIRECTV aims to deliver the best, widest range of news, sports, and entertainment programming at a fair price. We regularly engage in negotiations with content providers and work hard to protect our customers from unfair price inflation.
Our differences with Newsmax are economic, not political or ideological. Newsmax made unreasonable demands that would force DIRECTV customers to fund the network’s shift from a free nationwide streaming service to one that will require a pay TV subscription. Since we would not agree to Newsmax’s demand to pay them tens of millions of dollars in licensing fees, DIRECTV was no longer permitted by Newsmax to air its content.
DIRECTV is disappointed by Newsmax’s position. We prefer Newsmax had never left and remain interested in bringing Newsmax back under the right financial terms.
A WIDE RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES
DIRECTV provides news programming options that reflect all voices – including the new, recently launched conservative network The First – across all three of our video services: DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-verse. The First features leading conservative voices in America, including influential hosts Bill O’Reilly, Dana Loesch, Liz Wheeler and Jesse Kelly, and offers live news coverage, original shows and documentaries.