TALKERS founder Michael Harrison and Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy engaged in a phone conversation this week (2/8) to discuss the bruhaha buzzing through conservative news/talk radio triggered by AT&T’s recent decision to remove the popular conservative channel from its subsidiary, DirecTV. Ruddy,
grateful for the support Newsmax is receiving from radio hosts, wanted to speak out directly to the medium further explaining his position. (NOTE: Newsmax also has a footprint in the news/talk radio space as syndicator of the daily Rob Carson midday program.)
Late in January, DirecTV, owned by AT&T, “deplatformed” Newsmax from more than 13 million of its subscriber homes calling it a “business decision.”
News of this stunned Washington, fueling GOP lawmakers with more evidence that big tech media was closing down conservative voices for political reasons.
This was the second time in just the past year AT&T moved to cancel a conservative channel, taking OAN off their platforms last April.
However, Newsmax is not OAN. Newsmax has, in breathtaking time, became the fourth-highest-rated cable news channel reaching 25 million Americans, according to Nielsen.
Major Members of Congress, Senators and newsmakers dot its programming lineup every day. Even First Lady Jill Biden made a prime-time appearance to discuss her cancer initiative last October and former President Donald Trump is a regular participant.
According to Ruddy, “The fact that AT&T was willing to take down Newsmax as Republicans take control of the House was yet another sign for America’s right that ‘wokeness’ remains in high gear.”