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undefined | Federal judge could halt Nexstar-Tegna TV station merger by Meg James, Katie King

A federal judge in Sacramento signaled Tuesday that he is prepared to issue a preliminary injunction that would stop Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna. Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley, who had already issued a temporary restraining order, said a written order was expected by Friday. The merger would give Nexstar control of 265 television stations, reaching roughly 80 % of U.S. households—far above the 39 % ownership cap set by Congress for any single broadcaster. State attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia, together with DirecTV, argue that the deal threatens local journalism, reduces competition, could raise consumer TV prices and would lead to newsroom closures nationwide.

During the two‑hour hearing, Nexstar’s lawyer Alexander Okuliar contended that the plaintiffs had not shown an immediate threat to the public, noting that the merger could actually strengthen local broadcasters by providing economies of scale that allow stations to expand news gathering and increase the number of newscasts. He pointed to the numerous journalism awards Nexstar stations have earned and argued there was no evidence that local newsrooms would be shuttered. DirecTV, however, warned that combining the nation’s two largest station groups would give Nexstar leverage to demand higher retransmission fees, potentially resulting in programming blackouts and higher costs for pay‑TV customers.

The case has taken on political overtones, with former President Donald Trump publicly endorsing the merger as a counter‑weight to “the Fake News National TV Networks,” while California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his counterparts maintain that the consolidation would diminish the diversity and quality of local news. If the judge’s injunction is upheld, Nexstar would be forced to keep Tegna operating independently, preserving it as a viable competitor and halting any integration efforts until the antitrust challenges are resolved.