FCC Approves $6.2 Billion Nexstar–Tegna Merger After Waiving Ownership Limits as Eight States and DirecTV Sue
The FCC approved Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna after waiving rules that limit how many local TV stations one company may own, allowing the combined group to control roughly 260 stations across 44 states (after agreed divestitures) and imposing conditions Nexstar says will bolster localism and affordability. The deal drew sharp criticism from Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez as creating a “broadcast behemoth” and was immediately challenged in federal court by eight state attorneys general and a separate suit by DirecTV, which argue the merger will harm competition and drive up retransmission fees.
📌 Key Facts
- The FCC formally approved Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, saying the combined group would still own under 15% of U.S. TV stations and could help local broadcasters counter national programmers.
- The FCC, led by Chair Brendan Carr, waived National Television Ownership limits to approve the deal after Nexstar agreed to "concrete conditions," including divesting some stations (reported as six) and making commitments on "localism" and "affordability."
- Reports differ on the post-merger station count: outlets reported the combined company would own roughly 259–265 television stations across about 44 states (some reports add D.C.); most are affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
- Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez denounced the approval as creating a "broadcast behemoth," said it violated ownership rules and was approved "behind closed doors" without a full Commission vote; FCC Chair Carr defended the deal as necessary to sustain local broadcasters.
- On the same day as the FCC approval, eight Democratic state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento to block the merger, and DirecTV filed a separate suit arguing Nexstar will use Tegna to drive up retransmission fees and consumer bills; there are 31 markets where Nexstar and Tegna each currently own at least one station, and New York AG Letitia James warned of cable price spikes.
- Nexstar says it has DOJ approval for the deal (a claim AP/NPR could not immediately verify) and received a public endorsement from President Trump in February, who framed the merger as promoting competition against "national TV networks."
- Critics point to Nexstar’s past leverage over content—such as its decision last fall to order its ABC stations to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show—as evidence of potential abuse of market power and risk to programming and consumer costs.
📊 Relevant Data
Black American ownership of broadcast stations has declined since 1995 due to the repeal of the tax certificate policy and the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which allowed for widespread consolidation in the industry.
Review of the C - Radio World — Radio World
The share of commercial broadcast stations majority owned by racial minorities increased to 7% in 2023, up from the prior collection two years earlier.
FCC Biennial Ownership Report Finds Women, Minorities Control More Noncommercial Stations — Inside Radio
Retransmission fees have increased approximately 2,000% over the last decade, contributing to higher consumer costs amid media consolidation.
Untitled - Senate Commerce Committee — Senate Commerce Committee
Media consolidation enables fewer companies to dictate content availability, potentially reducing diversity of voices and viewpoints in broadcasting.
Why Diversity Should Be a Part of the Media-Merger Conversation — New America
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- NPR states the combined Nexstar–Tegna entity will own 259 television stations in 44 states (previous coverage put the figure at 265 stations in 44 states and D.C. after divestitures).
- The NPR piece is a brief news hit confirming the FCC approval and basic scale of the merged company, aligning with but not substantially extending prior multi‑source reporting.
- Confirms that the FCC, chaired by Brendan Carr under the Trump administration, granted waivers of rules limiting how many local stations one company can own in order to approve the merger.
- Specifies that Nexstar will own 265 television stations in 44 states and D.C. after divesting six stations, and that most are affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
- Details that the state and DirecTV lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California, and that there are 31 markets where Nexstar and Tegna each currently own at least one station.
- Provides new, on-the-record quotes: from FCC Chairman Carr defending the deal as necessary to sustain local broadcasters; from Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez blasting the approval as done 'behind closed doors' without a formal vote and warning of newsroom consolidation; and from New York AG Letitia James predicting cable price spikes.
- Notes that Nexstar claims to have DOJ approval, which AP/NPR says it could not independently verify immediately, and that President Trump personally endorsed the merger in February on social media, framing it as needed 'competition' against 'Fake News National TV Networks.'
- Adds a concrete example of Nexstar’s past leverage over content: its decision last fall to order its ABC stations to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show.
- The FCC has formally approved Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, saying the combined group will still own less than 15% of U.S. TV stations and help counter the power of national programmers.
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr says Nexstar agreed to 'concrete conditions,' including divesting some stations and taking 'localism' and 'affordability' steps, as part of the approval.
- Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez publicly denounced the approval as creating a 'broadcast behemoth' that violates the FCC’s National Television Ownership rule and said the deal was approved 'behind closed doors' with no full Commission vote.
- On the same day as the FCC’s approval, eight Democratic state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court in Sacramento to block the merger, and DirecTV filed a separate case arguing Nexstar will use Tegna to drive up retransmission fees and thus consumer bills.
- The FCC statement frames the merger as enabling local broadcasters to counter 'national programmers,' while Nexstar claims the deal is 'essential' to sustaining strong local journalism in its communities.