Two local TV giants merged. Then a court stepped in

Media Two local TV giants merged. Then a court stepped in April 14, 20266:00 AM ET David Folkenflik Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr, right, shown in a photo with Acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Omeed Assefi. Carr posted the photo just three days after both government agencies green-lit local TV giant Nexstar's $6.2 billion deal to acquire rival Tegna. The move, supported by President Trump, faces headwinds in an antitrust lawsuit in federal court in California. Brendan Carr/Brendan Carr's X account hide caption toggle caption Brendan Carr/Brendan Carr's X account On paper, local TV giant Nexstar's $6.2 billion acquisition of rival Tegna worked like a dream. Announced in August and approved in March, the deal moved briskly through bureaucratic review of significant antitrust concerns with minimum concessions and public debate. Yet the way Nexstar moved to consolidate even greater control over local television - a seeming coup - may have complicated the deal's prospects. It's given fodder to lawsuits arguing the deal may cost TV viewers more, and gut many of the newsrooms that provide local news coverage. At first, it was smooth sailing Nextar is what's known in television as a "station group." Like its competitors, Nexstar owns many local TV stations in various markets across the country. The majority of those stations are affiliated with the national broadcasting networks like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. While they carry different programming, they have the same corporate owners. Sponsor Message Media U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America Media Judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work in rebuke to Kari Lake The deal shatters several records: It gives Nexstar control of 265 local stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, reaching 80% of the nation's households. Federal competition law from 2004 limits companies to less than half that level. In a more conventional era...