Nexstar-Tegna Merger Faces Antitrust Hurdle in Court

Judge delays decision on whether to block integration of two major local TV station owners

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:48am

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a stack of legal documents, a gavel, and a pair of eyeglasses, conceptually representing the corporate strategy and legal challenges surrounding the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger.A legal battle over the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger could reshape the local TV landscape.Today in Sacramento

A federal judge in California has temporarily halted Nexstar Media Group's $3.5 billion acquisition of Tegna Inc., the country's largest local TV station operator, as the U.S. Justice Department and a group of states challenge the merger on antitrust grounds. The judge is weighing whether to extend the temporary halt while he considers lawsuits alleging the combined company would harm competition for broadcast TV in dozens of markets.

Why it matters

The Nexstar-Tegna merger would create the largest owner of local TV stations in the U.S., controlling over 80% of households. Critics argue this would give the combined company too much leverage in negotiations with TV distributors like DirecTV, leading to higher consumer prices. There are also concerns the merger could reduce the quality and diversity of local news coverage.

The details

Nexstar and Tegna closed their $3.5 billion deal on March 19 after receiving approval from the Justice Department and the FCC. However, a group of states led by California and satellite TV provider DirecTV filed separate lawsuits alleging the merger violates antitrust laws. The judge heard arguments from both sides and said he would issue a written order soon on whether to extend the temporary halt to the integration of the two companies.

  • On March 27, the judge issued a two-week order requiring Nexstar to continue operating Tegna as a separate company.
  • The judge held a hearing on April 8 to consider extending the temporary halt.

The players

Nexstar Media Group Inc.

A major owner of local broadcast television stations, already the largest in the U.S. prior to the Tegna acquisition.

Tegna Inc.

A major owner of local TV stations that Nexstar is seeking to acquire, which would make the combined company the largest local TV station operator in the country.

US District Judge Troy L. Nunley

The federal judge presiding over the case in the Eastern District of California.

California

The lead state in a group of states challenging the Nexstar-Tegna merger on antitrust grounds.

DirecTV

The satellite TV provider that has also filed a lawsuit to block the Nexstar-Tegna merger, arguing it will harm competition.

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What they’re saying

“There are no negotiations on specific markets,”

— Alex Okuliar, Lawyer for Nexstar

“Netflix isn't going to give us the sports that people watch. They can't give us the local news,”

— Glenn Pomerantz, Lawyer for DirecTV

“Nexstar has an established track record of consolidating newsrooms. They are going to be duplicating news. That's extremely harmful to democracy and to citizens of this state.”

— Laura Antonini, Lawyer for California

What’s next

The judge is expected to issue a written order soon on whether to extend the temporary halt to the Nexstar-Tegna integration while he considers the antitrust lawsuits.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between media consolidation and concerns over competition, consumer prices, and the quality of local news coverage. The outcome could have significant implications for the future of the local TV station market in the U.S.