Judge Extends Block on Nexstar-Tegna Merger to April 17

A federal judge in Sacramento, California, extended a temporary restraining order blocking the integration of Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna Inc. until April 17, providing time to rule on a potential preliminary injunction in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley issued the initial order on March 27, shortly after the companies closed the deal on March 19, following approvals from the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission. The merger combines Nexstar's 164 stations with Tegna's 101, creating the largest U.S. broadcast group with 265 stations across 44 states and the District of Columbia. These include affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, reaching about 80 percent of American households and operating in nine of the top 10 markets.

The legal challenge stems from a lawsuit filed by DirecTV, which argues the combination would reduce local competition, drive up retransmission fees for cable and satellite providers, lead to newsroom closures and increase programming blackouts for consumers. A coalition of eight state attorneys general, led by those from California and New York, joined the suit, claiming the deal...