Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Halting Nexstar Acquisition of Tegna

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0200

A federal judge in California has blocked the proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc., two of the largest owners of local television stations in the United States. In a ruling issued on Friday evening, US District Judge Troy Nunley granted a preliminary injunction after consolidating lawsuits filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general, along with satellite provider DirecTV. The judge determined that the deal is presumed likely to violate antitrust laws due to the combined company's increased dominance in local TV markets. The decision prevents Nexstar from integrating Tegna's stations or influencing its operations while the case proceeds toward a full trial. Nexstar described the transaction as pro-competitive and vowed to appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The company argued the merger would strengthen local stations and support investment in journalism. The deal had drawn significant opposition from critic