Newsmax had waged an aggressive public relations campaign against DirecTV…Newsmax changed its tune today when announcing the deal that will put Newsmax back on DirecTV starting tomorrow.”
The terms of the deal were not disclosed by either party, but Newsmax had sought millions of dollars from DirecTV to broadcast the network’s low-rated programming. DirecTV had refused on business grounds, contending it would result in increased prices for its customers."
Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy likewise celebrated the new agreement and DirecTV’s willingness to host conservative channels. “Newsmax recognizes and appreciates that DirecTV clearly supports diverse voices, including conservative ones,” Ruddy said.
Carriage fee disputes often arise when providers like DirecTV disagree with the amount they should pay TV networks to "carry" the channel. The amount or "fee" is often worked out through negotiations that can last for weeks to months.”
Perhaps the most telling comment from DirecTV is that Newsmax will be available on all DirecTV platforms “at no additional cost to customers.” Thus, a reset of retransmission fees to a higher amount, a key desire for Ruddy and Newsmax, is likely not transpiring.”
In the end, after nearly a full two-month silly season, DirecTV had stood by its guns — it was, in the words of DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow summing up the fiasco, simply an “all-too-common carriage dispute.”
The official announcement by both companies about the resolution of their dispute chalked it up to a disagreement about financial terms.”
We've reached a deal with Newsmax
