Federal Judge Halts Nexstar-Tegna Merger with TRO

A federal judge in Sacramento, California, issued a temporary restraining order late on March 27, 2026, halting the recently completed merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc., amid antitrust challenges from DirecTV and attorneys general from eight states.

The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley, pauses integration efforts between the two companies for 14 days, until an April 7 hearing to consider a preliminary injunction. Nexstar had announced the $6.2 billion acquisition's closure just days earlier, following approvals from the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice on March 19. The combined entity would control nearly 260 television stations across 44 states and the District of Columbia, reaching about 80 percent of U.S. television households and establishing the largest local broadcast group in the country.

DirecTV filed its lawsuit on March 26, arguing the merger would create excessive market concentration, allowing Nexstar to demand higher retransmission fees from pay-TV providers. These fees, which broadcasters charge for carrying local channels, would likely increase subscriber bills, the suit contended. DirecTV also raised...