Eight states led by California sued on March 18 to stop Nexstar Media Group’s proposed $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna Inc., saying the deal would concentrate local TV ownership and harm consumers.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement that if allowed to proceed, the merger would create the largest broadcast station group in the United States, “putting more broadcast programming in the hands of fewer people.”
He added that the deal would sharply increase concentration in local TV markets and could drive up cable and satellite prices.
The merger between the major players in the U.S. local broadcasting was announced on Aug. 19 last year, when Nexstar said it reached an agreement to acquire Tegna for $6.2 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
Nexstar already operates more than 200 owned or partner stations in 116 markets and runs national networks including The CW and NewsNation, while also owning the political news outlet The Hill.
The merger requires approval from federal regulators, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The statement by Bonta’s office said the FCC has a “responsibility to halt” the merger.
“If approved, this multibillion-dollar deal would combine the nation’s largest and third-largest television-station conglomerates, creating a behemoth covering 80% of U.S. television households,” Bonta said.
“This merger is illegal, plain and simple, running contrary to federal antitrust laws that protect consumers.”
The proposed deal had drawn support from President Donald Trump, who on Feb. 7 said it would benefit competition against national networks.
On Jan. 30, the FCC reported Nexstar and Tegna said the merger would deliver “significant public interest benefits,” including stronger competition with streaming services and more robust local news coverage.
The Epoch Times reached out to Nexstar and Tegna for comment but didn’t receive a response by the time of publication.
Media Consolidation
Joining California in the suit are Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Virginia.
State officials said that consolidation would reduce the number of independent voices in local broadcasting and could lead to newsroom cuts.
The complaint notes that, in California alone, the merged company would control half of the major network-affiliated stations, including FOX, NBC, ABC, and CBS, in some regions, such as Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto and San Diego.
Reports cited by the states also reference prior layoffs of veteran journalists in major markets, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, following Nexstar’s acquisitions.
According to the complaint, the combined company would operate in 132 designated market areas, including nine of the 10 largest U.S. markets and 41 of the top 50.
Thirty-five of Tegna’s 51 markets overlap with Nexstar’s footprint, meaning both companies already own at least one station affiliated with a major network in those areas.
The states said this overlap would create numerous “duopolies” and “triopolies,” where one company controls two or three major stations in a single market.
The lawsuit also framed the case as part of a broader push by states to police consolidation amid concerns that federal enforcement has weakened.
Bonta cited previous interventions by his office in major corporate deals, including technology and live-entertainment mergers, as evidence of states filling a regulatory gap.
Antitrust enforcement, he said, ensures fair prices, product quality, and innovation.
