Nexstar Completes Tegna Merger After Federal Approval

Nexstar Media Group said it has completed its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna after receiving federal regulatory approval, closing a deal that combines two of the largest owners of local television stations in the United States.

The transaction brings Tegna’s local stations under Nexstar’s control and expands Nexstar’s national reach in broadcast TV. Nexstar is based in Irving, Texas, and Tegna has been a major local TV operator with stations across multiple markets.

The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger, clearing the final major regulatory hurdle for the deal to close. The approval follows months of scrutiny over how a larger combined company could affect local broadcasting, including station ownership and the economics of retransmission negotiations.

Nexstar said the merger has closed with federal approval, and reports have noted the deal is completing despite ongoing lawsuits. The company has also agreed to divest six stations as part of the steps taken to close the transaction.

The merger matters because it further consolidates the local TV business at a time when broadcasters are managing shifting viewer habits and intensified competition for advertising. With a larger station footprint, Nexstar gains more leverage and scale across programming, sales, and operations, and it strengthens its position as a key player in local news and sports distribution.

For Tegna stations and their markets, the change in ownership is significant because local stations remain a primary source of community news, weather, and emergency information. Ownership changes can influence management priorities, station investments, and long-term strategy, even as day-to-day newscasts and programming continue.

The deal is also being closely watched by the broader media industry because it demonstrates that large broadcast combinations can still win federal approval, even amid heightened attention to media concentration. The outcome is likely to shape how other station groups evaluate acquisitions and asset sales, and how regulators approach future broadcast transactions.

Next, the companies will move into integration, aligning operations and corporate functions while carrying out the station divestitures tied to the closing. Nexstar will also begin working under its new ownership structure for the acquired stations, and investors will track how the combined company manages costs and performance following the acquisition.

With the acquisition now completed, Nexstar’s expansion signals a new phase of consolidation in local television, as one company takes on a larger role in shaping the business of broadcast news and entertainment across the country.