DirecTV Officially Dumps Pro-Trump Channel Newsmax
Negotiations hit a standstill on Tuesday between DirecTV and conservative cable channel Newsmax, prompting the pay-TV provider to cut loose the pro-Trump network from its lineup.
On the surface, this should have been a typical cable package negotiation in an era of cord-cutting, shrinking subscription numbers, and reduced television revenues. Instead, it looks like it will become yet another salvo in the ongoing culture wars and partisan gripes fueling American politics and cable news.
DirecTV, a multichannel video programming distributor that currently boasts 13.5 million subscribers, has been locked in an impasse with Newsmax over the channel’s desire to receive carriage fees in a new deal. The current contract between the two companies expires at midnight on Wednesday.