Updated on: March 19, 2026 / 9:37 PM EDT / CBS/AP
The Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday that it approved Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, a decision that arrived the same day eight state attorneys general and DirecTV filed separate lawsuits seeking to block the transaction. The challengers argue the deal would drive up consumer prices and weaken local journalism.
The FCC said the acquisition will help local broadcast stations push back against the increasing market power of national programmers. The agency noted that, even after the transaction, Nexstar would own under 15% of U.S. television stations. In a detailed social media post, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Nexstar agreed to “certain concrete conditions,” including divesting some stations, bolstering localism and taking measures intended to improve affordability.
Nexstar called the merger necessary to sustain strong local journalism and declined further comment beyond a company press release.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the commission’s only Democrat, criticized the approval, saying it creates a “broadcast behemoth” and violates the agency’s National Television Ownership rule, which bars any owner from reaching more than 39% of U.S. television households. Gomez said Nexstar had previously claimed the deal would reach roughly 80% of households and accused the agency of approving the deal “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 first announced the proposed purchase of Tegna in August. The combination would create a company owning 265 television stations across 40 states and the District of Columbia, including many local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates. Nexstar has argued the merger is needed to compete with larger legacy media companies and major technology platforms.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento was brought by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia. DirecTV filed a separate action in the same court. The state plaintiffs contend the merger would violate federal antitrust law and would be accompanied by regulatory changes sought by the FCC chair that loosen limits on how many stations a single company may own.
New York Attorney General Letitia James warned the deal would cause cable and pay-TV prices to rise, and DirecTV said Nexstar’s motivation is to secure higher fees from distributors, which would be passed on to subscribers. Both the states and DirecTV also warned the merger is likely to prompt further consolidation of local newsrooms in markets where Nexstar and Tegna already each own stations; filings say there are 31 such markets. The attorneys general said they are open to other states joining the challenge, including offices led by Republican chief legal officers.
The deal has drawn attention beyond regulators and courts. In February, former President Donald Trump publicly endorsed the transaction as a way to increase competition with what he called the “Fake News National TV Networks.” Critics have also pointed to prior instances where Nexstar intervened in programming decisions — including a move last fall that led some of its ABC affiliates to pull late-night host Jimmy Kimmel temporarily after controversial remarks — as evidence of the company’s willingness to exert control over local station content.
As the litigation proceeds, the FCC approval stands, but the lawsuits create an immediate legal obstacle that could delay or block the merger and shape how — or whether — the combined company can operate in many markets.