Federal Judge Blocks Nexstar-Tegna TV Merger Amid Antitrust Lawsuit

The $6.2 billion deal would create a company owning 265 local TV stations across the U.S.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:18pm

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a stack of sleek TV remote controls in various colors, arranged elegantly on a clean white background and dramatically lit to symbolize the complex corporate forces at play in the blocked TV station merger.As media consolidation accelerates, a court blocks a major TV station merger citing concerns over higher consumer costs and reduced local news options.Today in Sacramento

A federal judge in California has blocked the proposed $6.2 billion merger between TV station operators Nexstar Media Group and Tegna until an ongoing antitrust lawsuit is resolved. The judge ruled that the deal is likely to lead to higher prices for consumers and reduced local news options, siding with a coalition of state attorneys general and DirecTV who filed the lawsuit.

Why it matters

The merger would create one of the largest local TV station owners in the U.S., potentially giving the combined company outsized power to raise fees charged to cable and satellite providers. This could ultimately lead to higher bills for consumers and a reduction in the diversity of local news sources.

The details

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley issued a preliminary injunction blocking the merger, finding that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail in their antitrust lawsuit. The judge cited concerns that the deal would allow Nexstar to raise retransmission fees charged to video providers like DirecTV, as well as the company's track record of consolidating local news operations when it owns multiple stations in a market.

  • The merger was announced in 2025 and approved by the FCC in early 2026.
  • The antitrust lawsuit was filed by a coalition of state attorneys general and DirecTV in March 2026.
  • The federal judge issued the preliminary injunction blocking the merger on April 18, 2026.

The players

Nexstar Media Group

A major U.S. television station operator that owns or operates 199 full-power television stations in 116 markets.

Tegna

A media company that owns or operates 64 television stations across 51 U.S. markets.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley

The federal judge who issued the preliminary injunction blocking the Nexstar-Tegna merger.

DirecTV

A major U.S. satellite television provider that joined the antitrust lawsuit against the proposed merger.

Letitia James

The New York Attorney General who called the judge's ruling a 'critical victory' in the fight to ensure fair competition among local TV stations.

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What they’re saying

“Consolidating hundreds of local TV stations under one corporate owner would mean higher prices and lower quality programming for consumers.”

— Letitia James, New York Attorney General

“Stopping the merger for now is 'in the public interest,'”

— Troy L. Nunley, U.S. District Court Chief Judge

What’s next

The federal judge's preliminary injunction will remain in place until the full antitrust lawsuit is resolved. Nexstar and Tegna have the option to appeal the injunction.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between media consolidation and preserving competition, local journalism, and consumer choice. The judge's ruling suggests courts may be willing to block major mergers that could lead to higher prices and reduced options, even if they've already cleared regulatory hurdles.