A coalition of eight states has filed an emergency motion seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the newly completed $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media and Tegna, warning of immediate harm to competition and the public interest.
The motion, filed Friday, asks the court to block Nexstar from integrating or commingling Tegna’s assets and operations after the deal officially closed Thursday following regulatory approval. The states argue urgent intervention is necessary to preserve their ability to enforce antitrust laws.
The filing comes just days after the same coalition—including California, New York, and Illinois—filed a lawsuit attempting to stop the merger on antitrust grounds before it was finalized. They contend the combination of the two major broadcasters would lead to excessive consolidation in several local television markets.
Nexstar, already the largest operator of local TV stations in the United States, and Tegna, one of the top five, together control hundreds of stations nationwide. The states argue that this scale could reduce competition in broadcast television licensing and limit diversity in local news coverage.
In their motion, the states warned that without immediate court action, “irreparable harm” would begin at once, affecting both market competition and the public. They also raised concerns about the companies’ decision to proceed with closing the deal despite ongoing legal challenges, suggesting it may have been an effort to circumvent meaningful judicial review.