Trump-backed television merger moves forward

Critics fear the consolidation will add to strains facing local news and degrade coverage.

The Federal Communications Commission approved the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna, creating a massive local television conglomerate. This approval came despite immediate legal challenges from attorneys general in eight Democratic-led states and DirecTV, who argue the merger would raise prices and harm local journalism.

Eight U.S. states—California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Virginia—have filed a federal lawsuit to block the proposed $6.2 billion merger of broadcasting giants Nexstar and Tegna. This merger would create the largest local broadcast company in the country and surpass current regulatory limits, requiring a lift on the FCC's cap that bars any single company from reaching more than 39% of U.S. households through its television stations.