Eight state attorneys general file suit to block TV station group merger
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A group of attorneys general are taking legal action to block Nexstar Media Group’s proposed $6.2-billion acquisition of Tegna’s TV stations, calling the deal bad for consumer cable bills and local journalism.A lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S.District Court in Sacramento says the proposed deal by eight state law enforcers, including California Atty.
Gen.Rob Bonta, claims the proposed deal will give Nexstar too much control of local TV stations, ultimately hurting consumers by diminishing the diversity of news sources in their markets.Bonta said in a statement that the deal will cause “irreparable harm to local news and consumers who rely on their reporting as a critical source of information.” The plaintiffs also include state attorneys general in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.The Irving, Texas-based Nexstar is currently the largest station owner in the U.S., with 164 outlets including KTLA in Los Angeles.
If the merger with Tegna succeeds, Nexstar would have 265 TV stations reaching 80% of the U.S.and multiple outlets in a number of markets.The suit also claims that the merger would give Nexstar too much leverage in negotiating fees from pay-TV providers that carry their stations.
Higher fees paid to Nexstar would be passed along to consumers in their cable and satellite bills, the lawsuit asserts.Entertainment & Arts Continuous coverage of the Watergate hearings in 1973 drew big audiences and viewer contributions.
It also led to the creation of the “PBS NewsHour.”Most of Nexstar’s stations are affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, all of which carry NFL football, the highest-rated programming on TV by a wide margin.Disputes over carriage fees between station owners and pay-TV providers often result in blackouts and service interruptions to consumers.DirecTV, which serves around 11 million pay-TV subscribers i...