Tag: Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Industry News

Manhattan Borough President Attempting to Censor Newsmax

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

News outlet Newsmax is fighting an attempt by New York City Manhattan borough president Brad Hoylman-Sigal who is petitioning New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to remove Newsmax content from the city’s taxi TV screens. New York’s taxis are private entities that operate via a city license known as a medallion. Last year, Newsmax signed with Curb aimg deal to provide a one-minute news update hosted by one of the network’s anchors to over 15,000 taxis across the country, including in New York City. In a January 21 letter to Mamdani and Taxi and Limousine Commissioner Midori Valdivia, Hoylman-Sigal stated the cabs should not carry Newsmax because of its “politically charged content.” The letter went further, stating Newsmax “is not a credible news source for New Yorkers. I urge you to summarily suspend the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission’s partnership with Curb… and demand that Curb cease its collaboration with Newsmax as a condition of licensure given the platform’s history of misinformation and disingenuous reporting.” Newsmax says, “This is a pure act of censorship targeting a news organization reaching over 50 million Americans regularly. Newsmax plays it straight and that drives the far left crazy.” See the Newsmax story here.

Industry News

New York Adds to Budget for Public Radio

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

New York State Senate passed a $254 billion state budget for 2025-2026 that includes an additional $4 million for public radio stations. New York Public Radio reports that the funding is over and above the $14 million the state gives to public broadcasting, $13 million of which goes to TV stations. The additional allocation was proposed by State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal amidst attempts in Washington to cut federal funding for public broadcasting through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. NYPR president and CEO LaFontaine Oliver says, “We’re deeply grateful to State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal for his vision and leadership in proposing this additional funding and to Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, and the entire New York State Legislature for their support.”