What to know about the TEGNA and Nexstar merger
What to know about the TEGNA and Nexstar merger
The merger would create the largest operator of local TV stations in the country, but has been met with fierce opposition.
The deal is done… sort of. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given its go-ahead for Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of TEGNA, which would create the largest local TV station owner in the country. The merger has already met with fierce opposition from several states, as well as a major cable and satellite distributor. We’ll fill you in on all the details you need to know about the merger here!
Everything you need to know about the TEGNA and Nexstar merger
What you need to know about the merger itself
The takeover of TEGNA by Nexstar would see hundreds more local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC transferred to Nexstar’s control. The combined company would own TV stations reaching at least 60% of American households, creating fewer choices for viewers to get their news from in localities across the country.
FCC rules prohibit any one owner from controlling stations that reach more than 39% of American audiences, but Nexstar and TEGNA combined would reach at least 60%. In a statement, FCC chairman Brendan Carr said that granting a waiver to allow the merger “promotes the underlying purpose of the FCC’s media regulations by promoting competition, localism, and diversity.” Carr also said that Nexstar had pledged to divest a number of stations, but didn’t offer specifics.
Anna M. Gomez, the sole Democratic member of the FCC, took a different view of the merger and had strong words for Carr and the rest of her colleagues regarding what she felt was an improper procedure for the merger.
“The FCC has once again chosen bureaucratic cover over public accountability,” Gomez said in a statement. “This merger was approved behind closed doors with no open process, no full Commission vote, and no transparency for the consumers and communities who will bear the consequences.”
Nexstar CEO Perry Sook thanked the Trump administration in a statement following the approval of the merger, saying that the combination of the two companies is essential to sustaining strong local journalism in the communities we serve.”
Who is opposing the merger of TEGNA and Nexstar?
The combination of the two station-owning companies has been met with fierce resistance. Attorneys General from eight states have filed a lawsuit to stop the merger, arguing that it violates federal antitrust laws. The states involved in the case are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.
“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,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a release.
DIRECTV has also sued to stop the merger, arguing that allowing such an unprecedented concentration of broadcast media would harm competition, lead to the closure of newsrooms, and increase the frequency and duration of local channel blackouts. An entity the size of Nexstar and TEGNA combined would have an outsized amount of leverage in any carriage negotiations.
The distributor also argues that Nexstar already controls two TV stations in several markets, and when it does so, it reduces alternative viewpoints and competition for stories by using one newsroom and one news director to tell those stories, leaving viewers with worse coverage overall.
What will the TEGNA and Nexstar merger mean for viewers?
There could be several effects for viewers if the TEGNA and Nexstar merger goes through. As DIRECTV points out in its lawsuit, the combination could lead to higher prices for consumers. The merged company would have a great deal of leverage in negotiations with distributors, especially since it could end up owning as many as three local affiliates in one market. That would mean that Nexstar could ask for much higher carriage fees in any negotiations with cablers, and those prices would inevitably be passed on to subscribers, and will probably lead to more channel blackouts during contentious negotiation periods.
Also pointed out by DIRECTV is the fact that if Nexstar buys TEGNA stations, audiences will get fewer points of view on major stories that impact their communities. This problem will become acute in areas where Nexstar will own multiple stations as a result of the deal, and will likely lead to viewers being presented with stories filtered through only one editorial lens.
Where does the merger go from here?
In short, to court. Lawsuits by eight states and one of the largest TV distributors in the country must be resolved before Nexstar’s takeover of TEGNA stations is completed, and that will likely take some time. The Streamable will keep you up-to-date on any progress in the story, so keep checking back with us for more details!
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.