DirecTV

This is really kind of scary. I guess DirecTV has canceled two conservative news stations. They just canceled the Newsmax station even though they were asking for less money and had higher ratings than CNN and CNBC. I am thinking that this is censorship at its best. I don’t watch those stations but I think it should be alarming to everyone that it appears they are going after our free speech, telling us and letting us know only what they want us to hear. It was actually kind of scary but a few months ago I watched a program on the Holocaust and how the Nazi party controlled the media and how they rose to power and saw several similarities to what is happing today. If I had DirecTV I would be canceling my membership with them and also AT&T which is primary ownership.

Direct TV also just lost their exclusive contract with NFL Sunday Ticket. Youtube TV picked up the new contract. That alone is going to send some people jumping ship. I’m sure there were a fair number of subscribers that only had them because of that reason, which is now gone.

As long as they don’t cancel housewives of (insert any city)

If they lose the Wild that might be it for me.

They didn’t cancel them… The contract expired and they weren’t able to negotiate a new contract. This stuff happens all the time.

I suppose you missed the part where Directv launched a fox news subscription service as well as the fact they’re adding a new conservative channel called The First? Newsmax apparently had the same deal on the table as The First did, but Newsmax wanted higher fees, thus seems like a business decision to me and not what others are chalking it up to be.

DirectTV is still a thing?

…learned something new today

buckybadger wrote:

DirectTV is still a thing?

…learned something new today

Thinking the same thing.

Newsmax was being paid nothing at all.

This recent move is aimed squarely at the 2024 election and specifically at Donald Trump. DirecTV leans towards the left and they do not want any opposition to the DNC narrative. This is Newsmax’s take on the matter, but I cannot find DirecTV’s side of the story.

https://www.newsmax.com/jameshirsen/esg-tpg/2023/01/30/id/1106463/

Now I am really kind of sad that the latest ASIC chip on the DTV card will never be hacked.

DirecTV is not going to be long for this earth imo, but as a private company they have no obligation to free speech. They can host, promote or drop whoever they want. And the consumers can act accordingly.

I see it differently for the social media companies, that are the new town square, and should be treated similarly to the phone companies imo. And find the Twitter Files shocking.

BigWerm wrote:

And find the Twitter Files shocking.

Many of us knew what social media platforms were doing, but when the proof finally came out it is quite shocking actually to the level they were doing it. Its very disturbing and infuriating.

BigWerm wrote:

DirecTV is not going to be long for this earth imo, but as a private company they have no obligation to free speech. They can host, promote or drop whoever they want. And the consumers can act accordingly.

I see it differently for the social media companies, that are the new town square, and should be treated similarly to the phone companies imo. And find the Twitter Files shocking.

I agree that DirectTV is destined to extinction for a variety of reasons.

With regards to the rest, users can also act accordingly with social media applications though. Let Capitalism run untouched, and if corrupt social media companies censor things the American people want access to…the economics of the system should solve the problem. Some of these Social Media companies are out of control, I agree. They generated their revenue from the 100s of millions of users who aren’t intelligent enough to stay away if they “don’t like them.” I can’t count the number of people on Facebook who complain about how it censors them, but keep coming back. That’s like getting terrible service and food at a restaurant for lunch, and being dumb enough to come back later that evening.

Too many people cry that they want the government OUT of business and companies priding ourselves on true capitalism, but then beg for the government to intervene when they don’t like certain intricoes of those companies. There’s a reason I don’t have a Twitter account, rarely visit Facebook…just like there are reasons I don’t watch “The View”, shop at Wal-Mart, patronize one of the local restaurants whose owner is unpleasant, etc. etc.

buckybadger wrote:

Some of these Social Media companies are out of control, but that’s not on the government necessarily. They generated their revenue from the 100s of millions of users who aren’t intelligent enough to stay away.

Except with the release of the Twitter files it was obvious that the Federal Government, CIA and even FBI were controlling what information was censored/suppressed. There was even evidence that what these platforms did actually had a direct impact in many of the elections within the last year because of the censoring and false information shared about opposing candidates. Its quite damning. I havent seen any recent releases of these Twitter files, but the ones I had gone through were real eye opening. The one about the who Covid thing was the most frustrating.

If any of you still have your leftover tin foil hats from the state-level politics thread, you can put them back on for this one.

Dan wrote:

If any of you still have your leftover tin foil hats from the state-level politics thread, you can put them back on for this one.

Uh huh, sure. Unless you have read anything released in those Twitter files you might want to just sit this one out and let the adults discuss it.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Uh huh, sure. Unless you have read anything released in those Twitter files you might want to just sit this one out and let the adults discuss it.

I am an adult, let me know if it’s alright with you if I can participate.

I’ve probably seen just as much as anyone else regarding the Twitter files. Maybe I’m in the minority but I still view Twitter as social media just like anything else. Businesses can put out whatever they want. Fox, CNN, Newsmax, Twitter, Facebook, etc. aren’t creating a free speech/censorship issue because they’re private businesses. We as people are free to decide what we want to view, read, etc. I actually enjoy Twitter for the fastest news on really anything, but I also know that literally anyone can post literally anything. I really don’t think politicians should use it the way they do but they’re doing what’s useful in the times we’re in

Dan wrote:

Businesses can put out whatever they want. Fox, CNN, Newsmax, Twitter, Facebook, etc. aren’t creating a free speech/censorship issue because they’re private businesses. We as people are free to decide what we want to view, read, etc. I actually enjoy Twitter for the fastest news on really anything

Except what those files released prove is that we cannot. They were literally determining for us what we were allowed to see. THAT is the problem. Sure you can shop around and try and find your news or “truth”, but if they arent allowing you to actually see it you will never know.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dan wrote:</div>
Businesses can put out whatever they want. Fox, CNN, Newsmax, Twitter, Facebook, etc. aren’t creating a free speech/censorship issue because they’re private businesses. We as people are free to decide what we want to view, read, etc. I actually enjoy Twitter for the fastest news on really anything

Except what those files released prove is that we cannot. They were literally determining for us what we were allowed to see. THAT is the problem. Sure you can shop around and try and find your news or “truth”, but if they arent allowing you to actually see it you will never know.

If Twitter, Facebook, etc. choose to censor something themselves – I am fine with it. That’s their business, that’s their choice. Hopefully if they make a poor one people will dodge the platform and hit their revenue streams – hence a market based system of doing business.

The government should not touch social media or make any inroads with the platforms so long as they do not threaten people or actively commit crimes.

Again, everyone wants to be left alone and for the government to stay out of stuff…..until they are not getting their way. Then they will accept government help/interventions, but only if it furthers their agenda (both sides).

buckybadger wrote:

If Twitter, Facebook, etc. choose to censor something themselves – I am fine with it. That’s their business, that’s their choice. Hopefully if they make a poor one people will dodge the platform and hit their revenue streams – hence a market based system of doing business.

In theory I agree with you, but when Apple and Google are the gatekeepers of what competitors can access their app stores, you are left with the option of building out a cellphone company, operating system, social media platform AND having significant uptake and involvement in all of the preceding in order for ideas of great societal significance to be debated openly and freely. In reality Social Media is far more akin to the modern public square, Ma Bell, Verizon, or TMobile and you should be able to access, share and discuss whatever you’d like without their heavy hand of censorship, particularly since we now know they take their orders directly from the Gov’t. That is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment imho, and they need to either rework Section 230, or scrap it all together in favor of the same regulations that apply to phones conversations and texting. Imagine how upset people would be if the government regulated your cellphone, and prevented you from sharing or discussing in a conversation anything they deemed misinformation or unacceptable. Well that’s what we have now on Social Media.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
If Twitter, Facebook, etc. choose to censor something themselves – I am fine with it. That’s their business, that’s their choice. Hopefully if they make a poor one people will dodge the platform and hit their revenue streams – hence a market based system of doing business.

In theory I agree with you, but when Apple and Google are the gatekeepers of what competitors can access their app stores, you are left with the option of building out a cellphone company, operating system, social media platform AND having significant uptake and involvement in all of the preceding in order for ideas of great societal significance to be debated openly and freely. In reality Social Media is far more akin to the modern public square, Ma Bell, Verizon, or TMobile and you should be able to access, share and discuss whatever you’d like without their heavy hand of censorship, particularly since we now know they take their orders directly from the Gov’t. That is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment imho, and they need to either rework Section 230, or scrap it all together in favor of the same regulations that apply to phones conversations and texting. Imagine how upset people would be if the government regulated your cellphone, and prevented you from sharing or discussing in a conversation anything they deemed misinformation or unacceptable. Well that’s what we have now on Social Media.

Valid points and explanation.

I guess it’s just easy for me to say “NO” to social media. I don’t feel my opinions or freedom of speech is oppressed because I don’t rely on Social Media for anything. It doesn’t have an impact on who I communicate with, what my opinions are, who I vote for, etc. Unfortunately that’s probably not the case for many…and lends itself to a much larger societal issue. Social media and its ways (whether corrupt, enabled by government, or whatever people feel) can only control you if you let it.

Pretty sure alot of folks saw the downfall of social media and it’s impacts on society when My Space came out.
A vast majority of people are very easily influenced by others.

i wonder how society functioned without social media?

phishingruven wrote:

i wonder how society functioned without social media?

Kids played out side more, parents didn’t have to worry about them eating tide pods because Timmy did it down the road and now it’s cool as hell, probably wasn’t a thing for 13 year old girls to dress like Whore’s and shake there stuff on apps for the world to see, and no one argued and talked smack unless it was over a phone call or face to face. Just a fading memory of what the days used to be like. I don’t really mind social media, I don’t use much of it. But watching kids these days it’s a poison

I love government intrusion hell they are only here to help!
In other news we havent had dtv or cable for about 9 years we get enough locals off the antenna. 2,4,5,9,11 and about 2 dozen other ones. Im a fan of free

Don’t you love these first world problems?

Imagine dealing with real issues….

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>phishingruven wrote:</div>
i wonder how society functioned without social media?

Kids played out side more, parents didn’t have to worry about them eating tide pods because Timmy did it down the road and now it’s cool as hell, probably wasn’t a thing for 13 year old girls to dress like Where’s and shake there stuff on apps for the world to see, and no one argued and talked smack unless it was over a phone call or face to face. Just a fading memory of what the days used to be like. I don’t really mind social media, I don’t use much of it. But watching kids these days it’s a poison

Oh, im fully aware. It was more of a facetious question. I can remember when there were only 3 news channels and the tv played the national anthem at midnight then went to static. Lol

If you let social media control what you are outraged about, how you keep up with things and stuff, well, thats on you. (Not you specifically you bearcat, just the general “you”)

If you let social media control what you are outraged about, how you keep up with things and stuff, well, thats on you. (Not you specifically you bearcat, just the general “you”)
[/quote]

I get it lol, and I 100 percent agree. It’s to bad the general mass of people at least the general mass of people I know, all live off of social media. I heard a lady at Walmart the other day asking her kids to repeat something they had said because she wanted to quick tik tok it. I know more people who have ruined or broke friendships over social media and the covid disputes. And most of them only get news from the feeds on Facebook.
It is a scary time when these feeds can be controlled by 1 point of view, but what can 1 do about it. Besides removing them selves from looking at it and taking it in.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I know more people who have ruined or broke friendships over social media and the covid disputes. And most of them only get news from the feeds on Facebook.

My best friend since 8th grade, the best man in my wedding and me in his, lost his mind over the whole Covid thing and I havent seen or heard from him since. He’s ghosted me and 2 other fishing buddies who I still remain close to. Sad.

The Covid situation obviously wasn’t/isn’t a simple matter, but if there’s one thing it revolved around was personal choice, which led to whether people respect the personal choices of others. When mandates were lifted, if someone makes the personal choice to not wear a mask, or not get vaccinated, that’s their personal choice. If you don’t like that you might have to make the personal choice to be more cautious because you know there are others not masking or vaccinated, and if you’re worried about catching Covid you make the personal choice to take actions to mitigate that.

On the flip side, if someone is at a higher risk or just doesn’t want to get or pass on Covid, they can make the personal choice to wear a mask or get vaccinated. Totally fine, do whatever you want. You should be able to do that without being called a sheep or whatever else.

Going through that pandemic yeah at times there were mandates that were supposed to be followed, I’ll leave that one alone. Beyond that if everyone just let others make their choices we’d be a lot better off. Wear a mask if you want, don’t get vaccinated if you want, carry a firearm for self-defense if you want, marry whoever you want, etc. Very few things in life and society actually affect the rest of us, so if people really want freedom they’ve got to let others have theirs too, even if you don’t like it.

CaptainMusky wrote:

My best friend since 8th grade, the best man in my wedding and me in his, lost his mind over the whole Covid thing and I havent seen or heard from him since. He’s ghosted me and 2 other fishing buddies who I still remain close to. Sad.

Wow, that is astonishing. I can’t imagine losing a life long friend over such an issue like that. I hope things can smooth out and you two can fish again in the future.

I have found that if someone I know doesn’t agree with me on social issues or covid issue or political issue, simply avoiding that discussion is the far better option. Take the high road and talk about fishing or the super bowl instead. Why argue about something you disagree on when you can talk about something you agree on. Let the politicians argue over their disagreements.

gimruis wrote:

Wow, that is astonishing. I can’t imagine losing a life long friend over such an issue like that. I hope things can smooth out and you two can fish again in the future.

I have found that if someone I know doesn’t agree with me on social issues or covid issue or political issue, simply avoiding that discussion is the far better option. Take the high road and talk about fishing or the super bowl instead. Why argue about something you disagree on when you can talk about something you agree on. Let the politicians argue over their disagreements.

Yeah it really eats at me because we did everything together for so long. He is the only person from HS that I kept in contact with. It was so dumb, but he really started changing even before Covid, but that tipped him over the edge. What sent him over the top is when I shared a meme to our group texts (fishing buds) mocking the whole effectiveness of masks when someone peed their pants. You probably saw it. It was downhill from there. The clincher was he is an avid bicyclist and would always post pics of his ride routine to us. My one buddy replied with “can you pedal faster than my .270?” That is what did it. He said “Lance wants to kill me” and then it was over from there.