All articles tagged with #nexstar
The FCC voted 2-1 to repeal the 39% cap on combined reach of U.S. TV households and replace it with a case-by-case approach, a move that could spur consolidation—boosting Nexstar’s bid for Tegna—though critics warn it could harm localism and may face legal challenges.
The FCC plans to repeal the 39% national TV ownership cap and replace it with case-by-case merger reviews, a move supporters say would modernize rules and critics say would bypass Congress and tilt coverage toward large groups (notably Nexstar/Tegna) and pro‑Trump outlets; Democrats call it unlawful and likely to trigger lawsuits, with a scheduled August 6 vote and ongoing debates over authority, past waivers, and the impact on local journalism.
The FCC plans a Aug. 6 vote to repeal the longstanding 39% cap on national TV ownership and replace it with case-by-case scrutiny of deals. Chair Brendan Carr argues the cap is outdated in a media landscape where content is widely distributed online; Nexstar backs the move, while NAB praises the proposal. The agency stresses that removing the cap does not automatically approve deals that would exceed it—some could be denied if not in the public interest. The shift could shift leverage toward large broadcast owners in a converged media market, even as Nexstar faces court-ordered constraints on its Tegna acquisition.
A bipartisan group of state attorneys general led by California joined with Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont to expand a federal antitrust lawsuit aimed at blocking Nexstar’s $6.2 billion merger with Tegna. The 13-state suit argues the deal would curb competition, raise prices, and consolidate control over local news; a federal judge has already paused the merger as the case moves forward.
Under a new pact, ESPN will stream roughly 800 hours of CW Sports programming—covering college football and basketball, pro bull riding, WWE, NASCAR, PBA bowling and more—on ESPN's direct-to-consumer service, while The CW handles ad sales; the CW streams will be exclusive to ESPN’s platform and won’t appear on ESPN’s linear channels. The deal leverages CW access to ACC, Mountain West and Pac-12 games plus WWE content, filling gaps in ESPN’s slate and signaling ongoing bundling of sports content. Separately, The CW and Roku announced a Fall 2026 deal to bring CW programming to The Roku Channel for next-day streaming.
Nexstar CEO Perry Sook criticized DirecTV for opposing Nexstar’s $6.2 billion Tegna merger, arguing the broadcast market isn’t a one‑company field and noting DirecTV’s history of pressuring partners. He contends two or three companies will eventually control most of local TV, a view shaped by the Tegna deal and ongoing legal battles after a judge blocked the merger; Sook spoke in a 1‑on‑1 at the NAB Show, saying Nexstar will vigorously pursue its case on appeal to the Ninth Circuit as the timeline remains out of its control.
A U.S. district judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking Nexstar's $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna, citing potential irreparable harm and likely reduced competition; Nexstar must keep Tegna as a separately managed unit and cannot consolidate stations while the case proceeds. Nexstar plans to appeal; the injunction takes effect at 5 p.m. PT on April 21, amid ongoing debates over FCC broadcasting caps and related regulatory actions (DOJ antitrust probe previously concluded; license transfers approved).
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the $6.2 billion Nexstar-Tegna merger, ordering the two companies to operate separately as litigation proceeds, citing reduced competition and the risk of higher retransmission fees and more broadcast blackouts for viewers, including live sports on over-the-air networks.
A federal judge in California issued a preliminary injunction blocking Nexstar's planned acquisition of Tegna, halting the TV-station merger amid antitrust concerns; the ruling, described as “presumed likely to violate antitrust laws,” is a win for state attorneys general and DirecTV in their antitrust challenges, and Nexstar vowed to appeal to the Ninth Circuit while the deal remains frozen pending trial.
A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction halting Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion merger with Tegna to preserve competition while antitrust litigation continues, effectively freezing the deal and extending the TRO through April 21, 2026. Nexstar plans to appeal to the Ninth Circuit, while DirecTV and several states challenge the transaction that had FCC approval; California AG Rob Bonta hailed the ruling as consumer-protective in the broader push to scrutinize mega-media deals.
A judge granted a seven-day extension to the restraining order tied to Nexstar’s proposed merger with Tegna, giving more time for the case while the deal proceeds; a correction note updates the spelling of Nexstar CEO Perry Sook’s name to Sook.
Nexstar asked a California federal court to force DirecTV and several states, including Colorado, to post a $150 million bond to cover losses if its $6.2 billion merger with Tegna is delayed by an antitrust lawsuit; the judge is weighing whether to extend a temporary injunction on the deal while concerns about reduced competition and impact on local journalism are debated, and Nexstar argues the bond would offset anticipated costs, though the exact amount was not intended for public release.
A federal judge in Sacramento signaled he could block Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna, potentially halting a deal that would give Nexstar control of 265 stations and about 80% of U.S. households. State attorneys general and DirecTV warn the merger would lessen competition and harm local journalism and could raise prices; Nexstar argues the deal would strengthen local news economics. A preliminary injunction order is expected soon, and Tegna would continue operating independently if blocked.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking Nexstar’s $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, sending Nexstar’s stock down about 13% as investors fear a lengthy delay; the ruling, backed by DirecTV and several states over antitrust concerns, sets a hearing for April 7 and complicates the FCC waiver that had cleared the deal, potentially delaying or reshaping the transaction with implications for both companies’ shareholders.
A U.S. district judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the integration of Nexstar and Tegna, citing potential reduced competition and harm to consumers. The order requires hold-separate management, keeping Tegna independent in decisions over retransmission negotiations, newsroom staffing, and operations, while the case proceeds. The FCC had allowed the deal to exceed the 39% national ownership cap via a waiver, spurring further challenges from DirecTV, state attorneys general, and consumer groups. Nexstar must respond by April 1, and a hearing on a possible preliminary injunction is scheduled for April 7.