8 States File Emergency Motion To Block Nexstar-tegna Merger After Fcc Approval

California and 7 different states revenge an emergency mobility connected Friday to extremity nan merger of broadcasting companies Nexstar and Tegna, a firm tie-up that would create nan country’s largest usability of section tv stations.

The 8 attorneys wide revenge the motion for a impermanent restraining bid little than a time aft nan Federal Communications Commission and nan Department of Justice signed disconnected connected nan $6.2 cardinal deal.

Nexstar and Tegna did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

The states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut and Virginia — based on successful a suit revenge Wednesday nighttime that nan merger violates national antitrust laws and warned of value hikes for consumers.

“With its support of nan disastrous Nexstar/Tegna broadcasting merger, nan Trump Administration has erstwhile again put firm interests up of nan interests of mundane Americans — not connected our watch,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said successful a statement.

“This merger is illegal, plain and simple, moving contrary to national antitrust laws that protect consumers. Nexstar/Tegna is not a done deal. I will not fto these firm behemoths merge without a fight,” Bonta added.

Nexstar announced Thursday nighttime that it had secured support from FCC and Justice Department regulators. The FCC publically announced nan news, while nan Justice Department has not responded to requests for comment.

In a news release, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said nan agency waived a national norm that bars a azygous institution from owning TV stations reaching much than 39% of U.S. households. Nexstar and Tegna’s mixed assets would screen astatine slightest 60%.

“Waiving that norm present is accordant pinch longstanding FCC authorities and doing truthful promotes nan underlying intent of nan FCC’s media regulations by promoting competition, localism, and diversity,” Carr said successful a statement.

Anna M. Gomez, nan lone Democrat connected nan FCC, blasted nan agency’s decision to motion disconnected connected nan Nexstar-Tegna deal, criticizing what she characterized arsenic a deficiency of transparency astir nan support process.

“The FCC has erstwhile again chosen bureaucratic screen complete nationalist accountability,” Gomez said successful a statement. “This merger was approved down closed doors pinch nary unfastened process, nary afloat Commission vote, and nary transparency for nan consumers and communities who will carnivore nan consequences.”

President Donald Trump publically endorsed nan woody past month. “We request much title against THE ENEMY, nan Fake News National TV Networks,” nan president wrote successful a societal media post. “GET THAT DEAL DONE!”

The nation’s section TV operators are nether unit arsenic they compete for viewers and advertizing gross successful a marketplace progressively dominated by integer players for illustration Netflix, YouTube and TikTok.

But nan authorities attorneys wide judge consolidation would “put much broadcast programming successful nan hands of less people, trim section jobs, summation cablegram bills, and importantly effect nan transportation of news and different media contented to Americans.”

Bonta said 2 California media markets would beryllium particularly affected by nan Nexstar-Tegna merger. In nan Sacramento market, nan mixed entity would ain nan section Fox and ABC stations; successful nan San Diego area, it would ain nan section Fox and CBS stations.

Nexstar operates 201 stations successful 116 tv markets while Tegna operates 64 full-power broadcast tv stations, an AM power position and an FM power station. Carr has said Nexstar agreed to divest “a number of stations.”

In caller months, authorities attorneys wide person asserted themselves connected different issues astatine nan nexus of antitrust and nan media industry.

More than 2 twelve Republican and Democratic authorities attorneys wide revenge a mobility for a mistrial successful an antitrust lawsuit that aimed to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Live Nation ultimately settled pinch nan Justice Department.

Bonta’s agency is besides investigating Paramount Skydance’s woody to return complete Warner Bros. Discovery, a merger that would merge 2 historical Hollywood movie studios and perchance put CNN nether nan aforesaid firm tile arsenic CBS News.