Article Text

Federal regulators have approved Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tysons-based Tegna, setting up a major legal fight over the future of local television news.

The Federal Communications Commission announced its approval Thursday, the same day Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and attorneys general from seven other states sued to block the merger. Their complaint, filed in federal court in Sacramento, California, argues that the deal would illegally suppress competition, increase prices and lead to layoffs across the broadcasting industry.

“Our free press is under constant threat from Donald Trump, and Virginians simply cannot afford to lose more independent local news voices,” Jones said. He argued that Nexstar acquisitions have previously been followed by station closures, job cuts and declines in local news quality.

Nexstar announced its agreement to buy Tegna in August. The combined company would own 265 television stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C., including many local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Nexstar had agreed to divest six stations. The transaction required the Republican-controlled FCC to waive federal limits on the number of local stations one company may own.

Nexstar said it had also secured Justice Department approval, although that could not be independently confirmed Thursday.

“We are grateful to President Trump, Chairman Carr and the DOJ for recognizing the dynamic forces shaping the media landscape and allowing this transaction to move forward,” Nexstar Chairman and CEO Perry Sook said.

Carr defended the approval as an investment in the survival of local broadcasting, saying people concerned about local news should also care about the future of local stations. He said the merger would give broadcasters the resources needed to keep investing in their operations.

Sook similarly said the larger company would be better equipped to provide journalism and local programming.

States and DirecTV challenge the deal

DirecTV has filed a separate lawsuit opposing the takeover. The television distributor alleged that Nexstar wants Tegna so it can demand higher fees from distributors, ultimately forcing them to charge subscribers more.

Nexstar says the combination would help it compete against wealthier traditional media companies and major technology platforms. Jones maintains that creating the nation’s largest broadcast-station owner would instead hurt consumers and journalism.

Nexstar already controls three major television affiliates in Norfolk, Jones noted.

The state attorneys general identified 31 markets where Nexstar and Tegna each own at least one station. They include the Washington region, where Nexstar owns CW affiliate DC News Now and Tegna owns CBS affiliate WUSA9.

Jones cited a University of Virginia survey in which 65% of respondents expressed confidence in the fairness and accuracy of local news, compared with 46% who said the same about national outlets.

“When stations close and those voices are eliminated, ties to the community become strained or broken altogether,” Jones said. He argued that Virginians should receive diverse, community-centered reporting instead of recycled material produced primarily to improve corporate profits.

Joining Virginia in the lawsuit are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Oregon. All eight states have Democratic attorneys general, though the group said it would welcome support from states represented by Republicans.

A Nexstar spokesperson declined to comment directly on the litigation. Tegna did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

FCC decision draws political backlash

President Donald Trump endorsed the merger in February, writing on social media that more competition was needed against national television networks he characterized as “Fake News.”

Democratic FCC member Anna Gomez condemned the agency’s approval, saying the Republican majority acted behind closed doors without holding an actual vote.

“Local journalism is under extraordinary strain,” Gomez said. She warned that continued consolidation would mean fewer reporters, fewer independent editorial voices and more decisions made far from the communities that stations are licensed to serve.

Nexstar faced criticism last fall after directing its ABC affiliates to pull late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following his comments about the assassination of Republican activist Charlie Kirk. The dispute briefly led to Kimmel’s suspension, but ABC reinstated him after a public outcry and Nexstar reversed course.

Jones had predicted that the Trump administration would offer little resistance to the merger. He pointed to comments from Trump and Carr, as well as the Justice Department’s recent settlement with Live Nation, the owner of Ticketmaster.

A trial over allegations that Live Nation monopolized music ticket sales remains underway after 30 state attorneys general, including Jones, rejected the settlement. The Justice Department sued Live Nation during President Joe Biden’s administration in 2024, accusing it of suppressing competition and raising prices.

Jones accused the Trump administration of prioritizing corporate interests over enforcement of antitrust and consumer-protection laws.

Tegna downsizes its Tysons headquarters

The merger comes as Tegna appears to have moved its headquarters within Tysons.

After spending roughly a decade at Boro Tower, 8350 Broad Street, Tegna now lists 8401 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, at the Highline at Greensboro as its address. The company had been based at Boro Tower since separating from Gannett in 2015.

The broadcaster finalized a lease in July for 23,000 square feet at the Highline, according to a September report. That is half the 46,000 square feet Tegna occupied at Boro Tower.

The exact timing of Tegna’s departure is unclear. A leasing website previously advertised that Boro Tower’s 19th and 20th floors would become available March 1, 2026. Both floors are now offered for rent at $74 per square foot annually, although the site still lists Tegna as a notable tenant.

The Meridian Group, which developed The Boro, did not immediately comment. The September report said the property owner was already speaking with prospective tenants and that Boro Tower would remain nearly 90% leased without Tegna.