Trending Now - Nexstar's $6.2B Tegna Deal Faces Legal Challenges Post-approval

WHO:

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “This merger is illegal, plain and simple, running contrary to federal antitrust laws that protect consumers.”

New York State Attorney General Letitia James stated, “We all benefit when local newsrooms compete to get stories.”

FCC Chair Brendan Carr referred to Trump as “the alpha in every single room and every single place all across the world.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “When broadcast media is owned by a handful of companies, we get fewer voices, less competition, and communities lose the critical check on power that local journalism delivers.”

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said, “If this merger moves forward, cable prices will spike for consumers in New York and across the country.”

DirecTV filed a separate lawsuit seeking to block the merger, alleging that Nexstar's purpose in acquiring Tegna is to drive up the price it can extract from DirecTV and other distributors.

Eight states: California, New York, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, North Carolina, Virginia, and Connecticut.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

DirecTV.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr.

President Donald Trump.

Media advocacy group Free Press.

Nexstar Media Group.

Tegna.

WHAT:

The merger will create a company that owns 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C., reaching roughly 80% of American homes.

The lawsuit filed by the states alleges that the merger would lead to an “enormous increase in market power,” enabling Nexstar to raise license fees.

The states expressed concern that the merger would hurt the already-struggling local news business, with 31 markets across the country where Nexstar and Tegna own at least one station.

The merger will create a company that owns 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C.

Nexstar will operate in about 132 of the 210 TV markets in America.

The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of California.

Nexstar closed its $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna on March 19th, 2026.

The merger creates a company that owns 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C.

Nexstar must divest from specific TV stations within two years, including KTVD in Denver, Colorado; WTHR in Indianapolis, Indiana; WCTX in New Haven, Connecticut; WAVY in Portsmouth, Virginia; WUPL in Slidell, Louisiana; and KNWA in Rogers, Arkansas.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar and Tegna on March 19th, 2026.

The FCC stated that Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna will "enable these broadcast TV stations to counter the growing power that national programmers have amassed in recent years."

Nexstar will still own less than 15% of television stations in the U.S. after the merger.

Nexstar's deal is projected to give it a reach of 80% of U.S. television households, exceeding the FCC's National Television Ownership rule, which caps ownership at 39%.

A coalition of eight states and DirecTV are suing to block the merger of Nexstar Media Group and Tegna.

Nexstar announced its intention to acquire Tegna for $6.2 billion.

The merger would combine the nation’s largest and third-largest television-station conglomerates, reaching over 54% of U.S. households.

The lawsuit alleges that the merger violates existing antitrust laws and would lead to higher consumer prices and reduced competition.

The merger would create a company owning 265 television stations across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

The states argue that the merger would harm local journalism and lead to increased cable prices.

WHERE:

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California.

The merger would affect local TV markets, including Sacramento and San Diego.

WHEN:

The lawsuit was filed on March 17th, 2026, a day before the FCC approved the merger on March 19th, 2026.

The lawsuit was filed on March 17th, 2026.

Nexstar announced the acquisition in August 2025.

The merger was endorsed by Trump in February 2026.

WHY:

The states argue that the merger violates existing antitrust laws prohibiting consolidation that would create a monopoly and lead to fewer voices in media.

The states allege that the merger violates existing antitrust laws prohibiting consolidation that would create a monopoly.

Perry Sook, Nexstar founder and CEO, stated, “This transaction is essential to sustaining strong local journalism in the communities we serve.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr emphasized that the approval promotes competition, localism, and diversity in the media landscape.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “If approved, this multibillion-dollar deal would combine the nation’s largest and third-largest television-station conglomerates, creating a behemoth covering 80% of U.S. television households.”

The states allege that the merger would create a monopoly, leading to fewer voices in media and less competition.

Letitia James stated that the merger would lead to increased consumer costs due to Nexstar's monopoly power.

The lawsuit is a response to concerns about the consolidation of media ownership and its impact on local journalism.

HOW:

The FCC granted Nexstar a waiver exempting it from the National Television Ownership Rule, which prevents a single entity from owning television stations that collectively reach more than 39% of U.S. households.

The FCC granted Nexstar a waiver exempting it from the rule barring a single company from owning too many TV stations.

The FCC Chair Brendan Carr mentioned that Nexstar agreed to "certain concrete conditions" as part of the deal, including "divesting a number of stations, increasing localism, and affordability steps."

The states filed an antitrust lawsuit to block the merger, arguing it runs contrary to federal antitrust laws.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr has suggested waiving media ownership rules to allow the merger to proceed.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 21:05 UTC)

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York State Attorney General Letitia James have both voiced their opposition to a recent merger that would create a company owning 265 television stations across 44 states, reaching about 80% of American homes. The lawsuit filed by the states on March 17 claims this merger violates antitrust laws and could significantly harm local newsrooms, especially in 31 markets where Nexstar and Tegna already own stations. Just two days later, on March 19, the FCC approved the merger, granting Nexstar a waiver that allows it to bypass regulations limiting ownership of stations that collectively reach more than 39% of U.S. households.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 19:15 UTC)

In a significant development, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York State Attorney General Letitia James have raised concerns about a proposed merger that would create a company owning 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C. They argue that the merger violates antitrust laws and could lead to higher cable prices for consumers, while DirecTV has filed a lawsuit to block the merger, claiming it would unfairly increase prices. The lawsuit, filed on March 17, 2026, in the Eastern District of California, follows a waiver granted by the FCC allowing Nexstar to bypass regulations on station ownership limits.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 07:18 UTC)

Nexstar has successfully completed its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, creating a media powerhouse that now owns 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C. As part of the deal, Nexstar will need to divest from several specific stations, including KTVD in Denver and WTHR in Indianapolis, within the next two years. This merger was made possible after the FCC granted Nexstar a waiver, allowing them to exceed the usual limits on station ownership, a move that both Nexstar's CEO Perry Sook and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr believe will enhance local journalism and promote competition in the media landscape.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 03:45 UTC)

The Federal Communications Commission approved the $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar and Tegna on March 19, 2026, a move that aims to strengthen local broadcast stations against the increasing influence of national programmers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed concerns, noting that this deal would combine the nation’s largest and third-largest television-station conglomerates, giving Nexstar a reach of 80% of U.S. television households, which exceeds the FCC's ownership cap. To address these concerns, FCC Chair Brendan Carr stated that Nexstar agreed to specific conditions, including divesting some stations and enhancing localism and affordability.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 01:24 UTC)

A coalition of eight states, including California and New York, along with DirecTV, has filed a lawsuit to block the $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar Media Group and Tegna, which would create a media giant controlling 265 television stations across 40 states. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento on March 17, alleges that the merger violates antitrust laws, threatens local journalism, and could lead to higher consumer prices. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has suggested waiving media ownership rules to facilitate the merger, which was endorsed by Trump earlier this year.