Five additional states—Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Vermont—have joined a federal antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar and Tegna, a deal that would create the largest operator of local television stations in the United States [1]. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the court challenge, emphasized the bipartisan nature of the suit, noting that the attorneys general of Indiana and Kansas are Republicans, while the others are Democrats [1]. The amended complaint, now backed by 13 state attorneys general, was filed on Thursday [1].
Attorney General Bonta stated, “This is not controversial stuff — this merger is illegal and will give Nexstar and Tegna the ability to control and raise prices, fire journalists, and dominate the media landscape” [1]. The lawsuit follows a preliminary injunction issued two weeks prior by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley in California, which paused the merger as the case proceeds. Bonta’s office described the ruling as a “critical win in our case” [1].
Despite the legal challenge, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department both approved the merger last month, with the FCC waiving a rule that prevents any single company from owning television stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. households [1]. The combined Nexstar-Tegna entity would own 264 TV stations and potentially reach up to 80% of U.S. households, according to court documents [1]. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, defended the waiver as “consistent” with the agency’s legal authority [1]. President Donald Trump also publicly supported the deal [1].
Nexstar CEO Perry Sook has promoted the merger as “essential to sustaining strong local journalism in the communities we serve” [1]. However, Nexstar and Tegna did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit [1].
CONCLUSION
The addition of five states to the lawsuit significantly strengthens the bipartisan opposition to the Nexstar-Tegna merger, despite regulatory approval from the FCC and Justice Department. With a preliminary injunction in place and a growing coalition of state attorneys general, the merger faces substantial legal hurdles that could impact the future structure of the U.S. local television market.