Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DirecTV To Add Conservative Outlet The First After Dropping Newsmax
Deadline ^ | January 26, 2023 1:10pm | Ted Johnson

Posted on 01/26/2023 2:13:32 PM PST by JSM_Liberty

DirecTV said that it was adding the conservative channel The First to its lineup, after it dropped Newsmax from its lineup in a dispute that stirred the ire of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch, will be available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at no extra fees for subscribers. Up to now, it has been available only through streaming distribution, including on FAST networks. The announcement comes as Newsmax went dark on DirecTV. The satellite service owned by AT&T and private equity firm TPG blamed the removal on Newsmax’s insistence on its demands for “significant fees” from DirecTV at a time when the conservative network already is available for free on streaming platforms and online. Those fees, according to DirecTV, would have to be passed on to consumers.

DirecTV said that it was adding the conservative channel The First to its lineup, after it dropped Newsmax from its lineup in a dispute that stirred the ire of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch, will be available on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at no extra fees for subscribers. Up to now, it has been available only through streaming distribution, including on FAST networks. Related Story Conservative TV Outlet Newsmax Goes Dark On DirecTV; Republican Lawmakers Call The Outage “An Assault On Free Speech”

The announcement comes as Newsmax went dark on DirecTV. The satellite service owned by AT&T and private equity firm TPG blamed the removal on Newsmax’s insistence on its demands for “significant fees” from DirecTV at a time when the conservative network already is available for free on streaming platforms and online. Those fees, according to DirecTV, would have to be passed on to consumers.

Newsmax, however, claims that it is being censored, while noting that the free streaming will end later this year. “DirecTV believes Newsmax should receive ZERO cable fees even though it is the fourth-highest-rated cable news channel in the nation, according to Nielsen,” the company said in a statement.

In a statement, Newsmax said: While we are glad AT&T DirecTV is adding a conservative commentary channel, it is a pathetic attempt to deal with millions of angry viewers who still want Newsmax for our top-rated shows, personalities, and in-depth news coverage. You can’t replace a Cadillac with a Honda.”

A group of lawmakers fired off a letter to DirecTV, AT&T and TPG officials to protest the move, and Rep. Mary Miller (R-TX), in a segment on Newsmax on Thursday, blamed the move on the size of tech companies. Newsmax also has noted that DirecTV dropped One America News Network, another conservative channel, last year. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called for a Senate hearing.

Ron Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, said in a statement that the satellite network “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. As we’ve successfully done with other emerging channels, we look forward to helping The First continue to expand its audience reach, while constantly ensuring that our customers receive strong value.”


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: directv; newsmax; rinochannel; thefirst
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

1 posted on 01/26/2023 2:13:32 PM PST by JSM_Liberty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

O’Reilly? No thanks.


2 posted on 01/26/2023 2:15:01 PM PST by clintonh8r (Truth is hate speech to those who hate the truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: clintonh8r

Doesn’t he post here?


3 posted on 01/26/2023 2:17:47 PM PST by sauropod (“If they don’t believe our lies, well, that’s just conspiracy theorist stuff, there.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

I went to site for
The First TV network ...

Not 2 seconds after I clicked to go there, THREE pop ups obliterated my screen.

NO THANK YOU


4 posted on 01/26/2023 2:19:45 PM PST by George from New England
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sauropod

“Doesn’t he post here?”

Yeah, his screen name is humblegunner......or is it texasgator.....I forget but I’m sure it’s one of those brainiacs. 😏


5 posted on 01/26/2023 2:20:45 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

NEWSMAX is FABULOUS!!


6 posted on 01/26/2023 2:20:55 PM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

O’reilly? Such a joke. The First? Never heard of it.


7 posted on 01/26/2023 2:21:18 PM PST by Quentin Quarantino
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty
The First, which features personalities including Bill O’Reilly and Dana Loesch

Ted Baxter O'Reilly is a personality???? Who knew???? That sure got past me!!

8 posted on 01/26/2023 2:22:29 PM PST by RatRipper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

O’Reilly is a weak conservative and too into himself. Newsmax is extremely pro-Ukraine and weak on voting fraud. A pox on both of them.


9 posted on 01/26/2023 2:24:42 PM PST by Socon-Econ (adi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty
on Newsmax’s insistence on its demands for “significant fees” from DirecTV

The entire cable/satellite business model baffles me. If you own a TV channel, you make money by selling commercials. Why does the cable company have to pay you to carry your signal on which you sell commercials? It defies just about every other business model of distribution, with the exception of franchises. But TV channels are not franchises. The cable companies have the franchise monopolies granted by congress, not the networks.

And people wonder why cable TV is so darn expensive? It's because they are paying it out to the companies that are showing you commercials. And the cable companies also put their own commercials on in the unsold air time and at regular intervals.

The business model is screwed up, and that is imo one of the reasons why people are cutting the cords. Other business models are more consumer friendly. Not to mention, the technology is antiquated. My cable company gives me an internet signal from which I can stream from dozens of streamers like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney, you name it. But the cable companies insist I have their stupid box, can only watch what they choose to air when they choose to air it etc. But it's the same pipe feeding all of it. Why are there channels at all? The WWW has infinite channels. Why does cable limit what I can watch and when?

10 posted on 01/26/2023 2:25:17 PM PST by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

DirecTV in CYA mode they get a lot of heat for their bowing to the democrats.


11 posted on 01/26/2023 2:25:59 PM PST by Vaduz (LAWYERS )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

check out one of the following totally free ways to watch Newsmax TV:

YouTube: That’s YouTube, not YouTube TV. Newsmax TV live-streams free over YouTube, 24/7. Clips of past stories are also available for viewing.

NewsmaxTV.com: Always has a live-stream up, as well as Newsmax TV’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Xumo and Pluto TV: Two streaming services that carry less well-known, more niche programming, and are free to download and watch. Both carry Newsmax TV in their channel lineup. Newsmax TV App: Lots of channels have their own app, but almost all of them require you to login with a paid subscription account; Newsmax doesn’t.

Read more at: https://hotdog.com/tv/channels/newsmax-tv/


12 posted on 01/26/2023 2:26:00 PM PST by nascarnation (Let's go Brandon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Socon-Econ

What about OAN? Not that it matters, I don’t think I get them any longer on Frontier.


13 posted on 01/26/2023 2:26:36 PM PST by Rastus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty
As was stated on the other thread about Newsmax, the channel was dropped not just from DirecTV satellite service, but all three AT&T-related TV services: DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, and U-verse.

I'm actually glad this was done. My wife and tech (smartphones, tablets, TV streaming devices, etc.) tends to be a constant battle, but having lost OAN and now Newsmax is forcing the issue. The main downside is I get to play "customer service" for our streaming devices with my wife.

14 posted on 01/26/2023 2:28:20 PM PST by CatOwner (Don't expect anyone, even conservatives, to have your back when the SHTF in 2021 and beyond.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: monkeyshine

“cable” is dying slowly, I think the reason it isn’t dying faster is inertia. A lot of folks seem reluctant to buy into the streaming approach. But fundamentally you’re correct.


15 posted on 01/26/2023 2:29:04 PM PST by nascarnation (Let's go Brandon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty
You can’t replace a Cadillac with a Honda.”

Sounds more like they're swapping a Lamborghini for a Yugo.

16 posted on 01/26/2023 2:53:06 PM PST by Fiji Hill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

F...DTV.


17 posted on 01/26/2023 3:02:03 PM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty

O & L?
Rather watch Rather than those 2 turkeya...


18 posted on 01/26/2023 3:21:37 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is the next Sam Adams when we so desperatly need him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JSM_Liberty
You can’t replace a Cadillac with a Honda.

Actually, you can. I dislike Hondas myself, but if someone replaces an Allante with an NSX, that's a serious upgrade. Should have used Suzuki or Mini Cooper instead.
19 posted on 01/26/2023 3:25:26 PM PST by Dr. Sivana (But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth? (Luke 18:8))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nascarnation

Yes I think you are right. But some of that inertia comes from the networks. They are content with the business model. Take FoxNews (or CNN et al) for example. If I want to watch Tucker Carlson, I have to watch it when they air it. I can’t watch it on demand. I can DVR it. I have to watch the commercials (or fast forward them on the DVR). So it suits FoxNews to keep things as they are. They get paid by the cable companies and they get paid by the pillow guy and the guy who sells all those supplements. Why would they upset the apple cart? It works for them, for now. And in turn, the viewers who want to watch FoxNews (or any similar type network) have to subscribe to cable.

It is changing. There are streaming subscriptions you can buy that will give you most of the basic cable channels. But you still get the commercials. You just avoid the cable fee (but still need to pay for the pipeline if not cable than fiber or some other modality). And from what I can tell, it’s about the same price. Slightly different than the subscription streamers but it’s just an app you put on the smart TV.

Still, it’s all outdated. Personally I cannot stand commercial television. I got spoiled by streaming and just hate to watch commercials. I also am spoiled I don’t watch any show that makes me wait a week to see the next episode. I wait until the season is over and then stream it or watch it on demand.

It is changing, and will change. HBO just dropped Westworld and dozens of other shows they produced and paid for. They figure they can resell them to other networks to serialize and that they were not being watched enough on HBO to matter (no new HBO subscribers were coming on to watch a 6 year old TV show so they figured they can monetize it by selling it to non-HBO streamers). And these kinds of changes will continue. Personally I agree - inertia keeps me paying for the basic cable package but I only watch a few things. A few I DVR so I can skip the commercials, and a few I put on delay so I can skip the commercials. But the missus and I have agreed in principle we’re going to drop the entire cable subscription except for the internet. We may subscribe to a new service that will give us some networks but otherwise we get most of what we like from various streamers. I can get most of the movie channels from Amazon Prime. I don’t need Comcast or their stupid boxes and 2 TV remotes.


20 posted on 01/26/2023 3:25:49 PM PST by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson