The decision allows ownership transfer while requiring divestitures and commitments on local broadcasting.
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Media Bureau approved the transfer of certain broadcast television stations from TEGNA to Nexstar, subject to conditions including station divestitures and commitments related to affordability and local programming. The applications, filed in December 2025, sought approval for ownership transfers and waivers of national and local television ownership rules in multiple markets. According to the filing, the combined entity would operate stations across dozens of markets, though Nexstar committed to divesting several stations to remain within regulatory limits and address competition concerns.
“The FCC has been focused on empowering broadcast TV stations to serve their local communities, consistent with their public interest obligations,“ said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. He continued that the “agency decision does exactly that as both the record and Nexstar’s enforceable commitments demonstrate. For too long, the FCC stood by while newspapers closed by the dozen in communities all across the country. Those trusted sources of local news and information shuttered while the FCC dithered. If you care about local news, you should care about the future of local broadcast TV stations.”
The Media Bureau concluded that, with the agreed commitments, the transaction would allow the stations to proceed under regulatory requirements while maintaining oversight of ownership limits and market concentration.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For FCC Chairman Carr and Media Bureau officials as they oversee media ownership decisions affecting local communities and information access.
- For members of the FCC as they evaluate competition and local news coverage within the broadcasting landscape.
- For local journalists, broadcasters, and communities impacted by ownership changes, and that reporting remains accurate, accessible, and responsive to public needs.
Sources: Federal Communications Commission
