Federal judge blocks Nexstar-Tegna merger until antitrust lawsuit is resolved
Summary
A federal judge has stopped the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna until a lawsuit about competition rules is settled. The judge said the merger could lead to higher prices for viewers and fewer local news choices.Key Facts
- Nexstar and Tegna planned to merge their local TV stations in 44 states and Washington, D.C.
- The merger was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under President Donald Trump’s administration.
- Eight state Attorneys General and DirecTV filed a lawsuit opposing the merger due to concerns over higher consumer costs and less local news coverage.
- The judge ruled that Nexstar might use its power to raise fees for TV distributors like DirecTV, increasing bills for customers.
- Nexstar has previously reduced local news options in markets where it owns more than one station.
- The Department of Justice ended its antitrust review of the deal early, which the judge found unusual.
- President Donald Trump publicly supported the merger in February during the review process.
- The court’s preliminary injunction pauses the merger until the legal issues are fully addressed.
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