House Democrats Try Pressuring TV Carriers to Stop Hosting Fox, OAN, and Newsmax
House Democrats are endeavoring to pressure television carriers into deplatforming Fox News and two other cable news channels, arguing they have been spreading “misinformation” cognate to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) indited to 12 cable, satellite, and streaming companies, urging them to take steps they asserted would combat the spread of bamboozling information.
The lawmakers alleged Fox, Newsmax, and One America News, spread misinformation about the November 2020 elections and COVID-19, and wondered why carriers have done nothing in replication to the misinformation aired by these outlets.
They asked carriers to respond to a slew of questions by March 8, including what moral or ethical principles they apply in deciding which channels to carry, how many subscribers tuned into the networks in the weeks preceding the Presidential election, and whether they’ve taken adverse actions against any channel in the wake of the Election or the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. “Capitol.”They asked AT&T in one of the letters: Are you orchestrating to perpetuate carrying Fox News, Newsmax, and OANN on U-verse, “DirecTV,” and AT&T TV both now and beyond any contract instauration date? If so, for what purport?
A Fox spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email: As the most visually examined cable news channel throughout 2020, Fox News Media provided millions of Americans with in-depth reporting, breaking news coverage and clear opinion. For individual members of Congress to highlight political verbalization they do not relish and authoritatively mandate cable distributors engage in viewpoint discrimination sets an egregious precedent. A Newsmax spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email: The House “Democrats’” attack on free verbalization and fundamental First Amendment rights should send chills down the spines of all Americans. Newsmax reported fairly and accurately on allegations and claims made by both sides during the recent Election contest. We did not optically discern that same balanced coverage when CNN and MSNBC pushed for years the Russian collusion hoax, airing numerous claims and interviews with Democrat bellwethers that turned out to be patently mendacious. One America News didn’t respond to an inquiry. Republican Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr decried the Democrats’ move, verbalizing in a verbalization: By inscribing letters to the cable providers and other regulated entities that carry these news media outlets, the Democrats are sending a message that is as pellucid as it is troubling—these regulated entities will pay a price if the targeted newsrooms do not conform to Democrats’ preferred political narratives. This is a chilling transgression of the free verbalization rights that every media outlet in this country relishes. CNN last month made a push kindred to the Democrats’ effort, endeavoring to pressure cable carriers into abstracting competitors like “Newsmax.” The Epoch Times messaged cable providers then, asking for comment.CenturyLink verbalized it was committed to providing “a variety of broadcast channels covering thousands of topics” and that it does not endorse categorical media or outlets, but instead support viewers’ access and cull.
Dish added: Network owners (and their editorial boards) are responsible for the content that they distribute to us. Provided that the content is licit, contractually we generally do not have the facility to unilaterally edit content or abstract channels from our line-up predicated on their content. Our customers have the flexibility to tune in, abstract or block channels and content predicated on the platform they are utilizing.
Source: You can read the original Epoch Times article here.
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