The drama surrounding DirecTV and Newsmax stretches beyond just the two companies. The decisions that DirecTV will make in regard to the Conservative-leaning network could set the precedent for when it’s time for other distributors—such as Charter or Comcast—to renew their deals with Newsmax. While Newsmax’s short-term future is still being sorted, Paramount laid out its long-term plans to help the company obtain positive free cash flow in 2024. A big step in that process will be the upcoming merger of Paramount+ and Showtime, which is slated for early 3Q23.