Direct TV and Newsmax deal end prolonged dispute over the right-wing channel

On Wednesday, March 22, Direct TV announced its agreement with Newsmax, enabling them to carry the right-wing network on its satellite TV.

The Dispute

Since late January, when the two businesses’ carriage discussions failed, DirecTV has not offered Newsmax on its services. Earlier, Newsmax said that “political discrimination” was at the root of the conflict, with certain politicians becoming engaged along the way, while DirecTV claimed that economic factors were at play.

As per CNBC reports, the pay-TV sector frequently experienced these blackouts, according to DirecTV, and customers were often “caught in the middle.”

Both firms’ formal announcements on resolving their dispute attributed the conflict to a disagreement over financial issues.

The Agreement

According to the new multi-year contract, Newsmax will be back on Thursday on U-verse cable, DirecTV Stream internet bundles, and satellite television systems. DirecTV is one of the biggest pay-TV providers in the United States, with around 13 million members.

Although financial details were not made public, the parties stated that DirecTV subscribers would not be required to pay an extra fee to access Newsmax.

A live, linear broadcast of Newsmax has been accessible for free on YouTube, as emphasized by DirecTV in public remarks objecting to the news outlet’s revenue demands. However, that feed is set to stop later this year. Newsmax claims access to 40 million US households across all its linear and digital channels.

Due to the growth of streaming services, pay-TV companies like DirecTV have been losing viewers recently. Increased TV network costs frequently result in higher pay-TV package rates, speeding up the departure of users.