Judge Orders Nexstar Officials Off Tegna's Board, Clarifies That It Violates Preliminary Injunction In Antitrust Case
Deadline
β’Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:52:01 +0000
π° What Happened
A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Nexstar officials can no longer serve on the board of Tegna, ruling that doing so violates a preliminary injunction keeping the two companies separate. U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley clarified that the April injunction forbids current and former Nexstar officers, employees, directors and affiliated personnel from serving on Tegna's board, and ordered Nexstar to file a compliance report within 10 days. The judge wrote it is 'shocking' Nexstar would install a board made up primarily of its own executives.
π The Backstory
A coalition of state attorneys general and DirecTV sued to block the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger in March, on antitrust grounds, and the FCC subsequently weighed in. The judge's preliminary injunction was intended to preserve the status quo β keeping Nexstar and Tegna independent β while the case proceeds, but Nexstar sought to place executives on Tegna's board.
π― Why It Matters
The ruling reinforces the independence of Tegna during the antitrust litigation and signals that competitive concerns about the merger are being taken seriously by the courts. It highlights the tension between corporate consolidation ambitions and antitrust scrutiny in the broadcast industry, especially at a moment when the FCC is simultaneously relaxing ownership limits.
A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Nexstar officials can no longer serve on the board of Tegna, ruling that doing so violates a preliminary injunction keeping the two companies separate. U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley clarified that the April injunction forbids current and former Nexstar officers, employees, directors and affiliated personnel from serving on Tegna's board, and ordered Nexstar to file a compliance report within 10 days. The judge wrote it is 'shocking' Nexstar would install a board made up primarily of its own executives.
A coalition of state attorneys general and DirecTV sued to block the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger in March, on antitrust grounds, and the FCC subsequently weighed in. The judge's preliminary injunction was intended to preserve the status quo β keeping Nexstar and Tegna independent β while the case proceeds, but Nexstar sought to place executives on Tegna's board.
The ruling reinforces the independence of Tegna during the antitrust litigation and signals that competitive concerns about the merger are being taken seriously by the courts. It highlights the tension between corporate consolidation ambitions and antitrust scrutiny in the broadcast industry, especially at a moment when the FCC is simultaneously relaxing ownership limits.