The $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA Inc., announced on August 19, 2025, would create the largest U.S. local TV station owner, controlling 265 stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C., reaching about 80% of American households.
This exceeds the FCC's longstanding 39% national audience reach cap for TV ownership, a rule broadcasters like Nexstar argue is outdated in the streaming era. Nexstar and TEGNA plan to file antitrust paperwork with the Department of Justice and FCC applications by Tuesday, with closure expected in the second half of 2026, pending approvals. The deal offers TEGNA shareholders a 31% premium over their stock price and is framed by Nexstar as a way to strengthen local journalism amid competition from Big Tech.
Opposition has mounted over concerns of media consolidation reducing journalistic diversity, raising cable fees, and enabling corporate influence on content. The National Association of Broadcasters has urged the FCC to repeal the cap entirely, while groups like the American Television Alliance and a coalition of 16 press freedom organizations (including Reporters Without Borders) argue against it, citing no evidence that bigger ownership improves local news.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has called the merger a risk for "gobbling up more local news stations, firing reporters, and jacking up prices." In Connecticut, Sen. Matt Lesser requested state Attorney General William Tong review it for antitrust violations. Separate Change.org petitions, including one to save Denver's 9News (a TEGNA station), have emerged, emphasizing threats to local journalism.
The MoveOn petition, titled "Don’t approve Nexstar’s unethical $6 billion merger!", explicitly urges the FCC to reject the deal, labeling it a "major consolidation of power" that could turn media into "proxy propaganda outlets for Trump and his cronies."
It ties the merger to broader corporate corruption and government overreach. It has surpassed 20,000 signatures, gaining momentum amid public backlash to related events. MoveOn describes the effort as exposing "shady business deals" before they control media narratives.
Conservative outlets like One America News and Newsmax, along with the National Hispanic Media Coalition, have also opposed the merger.