Nexstar Media Group’s planned $6.2 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna has been halted after a federal judge determined the deal is likely to raise significant antitrust concerns. According to Variety, Judge Troy Nunley of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a 14‑day temporary restraining order preventing the companies from moving forward with the merger while the court reviews the case.

The proposed deal would dramatically expand Nexstar’s already dominant footprint in local broadcasting. The company, which is the largest TV station group owner in the country, would add Tegna’s portfolio to reach 259 full‑power stations affiliated with major networks including ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Variety reports that the combined company would cover 80% of U.S. TV households, a scale Judge Nunley said “is presumed likely to violate antitrust laws based on the combined firm market share alone.”

Nexstar had previously announced the deal had closed after receiving approvals from both the FCC and the Department of Justice. However, the restraining order requires Nexstar and Tegna to operate independently, barring them from sharing “competitively sensitive” information such as retransmission‑fee strategies or negotiation data. A hearing is scheduled for April 7 to determine whether a preliminary injunction is warranted. Variety notes that the companies do not dispute that the merger would increase Nexstar’s bargaining leverage.

The legal challenge was initiated by DirecTV, which filed suit on March 18 arguing the merger would “irreparably drive up consumer costs, reduce local competition, shutter local newsrooms, and increase both the frequency and duration of blackouts.” Eight state attorneys general, including those from California and New York, filed a separate lawsuit the same day seeking to block the deal on similar grounds.

As part of its FCC approval, Nexstar committed to divesting six stations and extending existing retransmission agreements through November 2026. A Nexstar representative declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.