Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Newsmax Wednesday that DirecTV is "trying to shut down our voices" by deplatforming Newsmax and conservatives more generally.
Scott also called for Senate hearings into AT&T DirecTV’s censorship of Newsmax and conservative voices.
"We've got to get to the bottom of this," he said during an appearance on Newsmax's "Spicer & Co." "This censorship by companies like AT&T of conservative voices, what Google does, what Facebook does, what Elon Musk has put out about what Twitter did, this has got to stop."
"We need to hold hearings here, we need to get to the bottom of this," Scott said. "I'm going to do everything that I can. They already got rid of another conservative network earlier, sometime last year, now Newsmax. This is what they're trying to do. They're trying to shut down our voices and we've got to fight for this."
AT&T's DirecTV cut Newsmax's signal at midnight on Tuesday, immediately blocking the network from more than 13 million customers of the satellite service, DirecTV Stream, and U-Verse.
This is the second time in the past year that AT&T has canceled a conservative channel, with DirecTV deplatforming OAN in April.
DirecTV said it was dropping Newsmax as a "cost-cutting" measure, despite the network being the 4th highest-rated cable news channel in the nation, a top 20 cable news channel overall, and being watched by 25 million Americans on cable alone, according to Nielsen.
All top 75 cable channels and all 22 liberal news and information channels receive cable license fees from DirecTV. Nearly all of these channels are paid significantly higher license fees than Newsmax was seeking, despite the fact that most of the channels have much lower ratings than Newsmax.
"This is a blatant act of political discrimination and censorship against Newsmax," Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy said. "The most extreme liberal channels, even with tiny ratings, get fees from AT&T's DirecTV, but Newsmax and OAN need to be deplatformed."
Scott urged Americans to take action in the wake of DirecTV's censorship move.
"The American public has to show up," he said. "So, if you're watching, call AT&T and say don't kick Newsmax off of DirecTV, it doesn't make any sense."
Action You Can Take to Fight AT&T DirecTV’s Censorship:
1. If you’re a DirecTV customer call them toll free at 877-763-9762 and demand they bring NEWSMAX back on air or you can CANCEL!
- [When you speak to a live operator, let them know you’re aware NEWSMAX’s live stream is ending soon on other platforms, so unless you get it on DIRECTV you will have to cancel their service.]
- If you are an AT&T customer for any of their products or services, call them and demand they end their censorship of NEWSMAX or you will cancel. Call AT&T toll free at 888-855-2338
2. Call your Member of Congress or Senator at 202-224-3121 and demand they stop AT&T and DirecTV’s censorship of conservative media like NEWSMAX!
3. Go to our online petition and get more info at: iWantNewsmax.com