AT&T’s DirecTV cancels Newsmax, FOX last standing conservative network

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – On Jan. 24, Newsmax became the second conservative channel to be deplatformed by AT&T’s DirecTV in the last year. The last remaining conservative news source hosted by DirecTV is Fox News. One America News Network, or OAN, was canceled roughly a year prior.

AT&T claims the cancellation of Newsmax was due to disputes over carrier fees. CEO of Newsmax, Christopher Ruddy, claims it was due to political censorship. Newsmax was at the mercy of regulations and restrictions imposed by DirecTV that weren’t placed on any other network, said Ruddy.

Newsmax is the 4th highest-rated cable news channel in the nation, watched by 25 million Americans via cable television. Despite this, AT&T and DirecTV were determined to be rid of the channel, said Ruddy.

Ruddy joined KUSI’s Logan Byrnes to discuss the political discrimination occurring in the nation’s media platforms.