Nexstar Accused of Violating Court Order in Tegna Merger

A coalition of 13 U.S. attorneys general and DirecTV allege that Nexstar Media has breached a federal injunction by installing its own executives on Tegna's board of directors. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley in April, requires Nexstar to keep Tegna operating independently and prohibits any influence over Tegna management pending an antitrust trial. Plaintiffs argue that Nexstar’s board appointments violate the order and request the judge remove the Nexstar executives, enforce monthly compliance reports, and grant expedited discovery.

Nexstar contends it has "scrupulously complied" with the hold‑separate order, maintains that Tegna remains autonomous, and says its board presence is necessary to meet financial reporting obligations. The company has appealed the injunction to the Ninth Circuit, where a ruling is pending. The dispute centers on concerns that integration could give Nexstar undue leverage in retransmission‑consent negotiations, potentially raising consumer prices and concentrating control over broadcast news.

The case highlights ongoing antitrust scrutiny of major media consolidations in the United States, with the outcome set to influence future regulatory oversight of similar deals.