A federal judge in Sacramento issued a 52-page preliminary injunction on April 25, 2026, ordering Nexstar Media Group to halt all integration of Tegna's 64 television stations, siding with DirecTV and a coalition of eight state attorneys general who argued the combination would cause irreparable harm to local news competition [1]. U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley of the Eastern District of California issued the order, which extends and strengthens a temporary restraining order he had entered on March 27 [1]. Nexstar announced it would appeal [1].
The Nexstar-Tegna transaction ranks among the largest television station mergers in U.S. history. Nexstar, already the country's largest broadcast television station owner, sought to absorb Tegna's 64-station portfolio, a move that would have significantly expanded its reach across major local news markets. DirecTV, as a distributor that carries both companies' stations, joined the state AGs in pressing antitrust claims, contending the combined entity would hold outsized leverage in retransmission-consent negotiations and reduce the independence of local news operations [1]. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office participated in the multistate coalition, characterized the ruling as a critical win for local news consumers [1].
The preliminary injunction follows the standard two-part framework requiring plaintiffs to show a likelihood of success on the merits and a threat of irreparable harm absent relief. Judge Nunley's 52-page opinion signals a detailed analysis of both prongs, and the order's breadth, covering all integration activity, indicates the court found substantial risk that unwinding a completed integration would be difficult or impossible [1]. The multistate AG coalition and DirecTV now hold a significant procedural advantage as the case moves toward the merits phase.
Nexstar's announced appeal will likely go to the Ninth Circuit, where the company will need to satisfy the demanding standard for a stay of a preliminary injunction pending appeal. Absent a stay, the integration freeze remains in effect, creating operational and financial pressure on Nexstar as it manages two large broadcast portfolios under court-ordered separation. The outcome will have direct implications for the broader wave of broadcast consolidation proposals now pending before the FCC and in federal courts [1].
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