USA: FCC Approves Nexstar-Tegna Merger in Blow to Local Media Pluralism

Last updated: 22 September 2026

The Committee to Protect Journalists warned on March 20, 2026 that the US Federal Communications Commission's decision to approve a merger between broadcasting giants Nexstar and Tegna — in what CPJ describes as a "clear violation of its own norms and regulations" — represents a dangerous escalation of government-backed media concentration in the United States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) separately described the merger as "a disaster for press freedom."

What the Merger Means

Nexstar and Tegna are two of the largest owners of American television stations. Their combined entity will control local television news in dozens of markets across the United States, dramatically reducing the diversity of ownership that the FCC's rules were specifically designed to protect. The FCC overturned its own norms on media ownership concentration to approve the deal, a move CPJ says sets a precedent with far-reaching consequences for local journalism and democratic accountability.

Local television remains one of the most widely consumed news sources in the United States, particularly among older and non-metropolitan audiences. The consolidation of ownership means that fewer editorial voices will determine what news millions of Americans receive about their own communities, state governments, and local institutions.

A Broader Assault on Press Freedom

The FCC approval comes in the context of a broader deterioration of press freedom under the Trump administration. CPJ issued a separate alert noting that FCC chairman Brendan Carr had publicly warned broadcasters that coverage critical of US military action in the Middle East could result in regulatory consequences — a threat CPJ described as direct intimidation of newsrooms. RSF noted that the FCC's approval of the Nexstar-Tegna deal was intertwined with the administration's broader strategy to reward compliant media and punish critical outlets.

A decision by the US broadcast regulator to approve the merger of Tegna and Nexstar — in clear violation of its own norms and regulations — is a concerning sign of government-sponsored media concentration in the United States.

Committee to Protect Journalists, March 20, 2026

International Implications

Press freedom organisations warn that the United States' declining record on media independence has global consequences. When the world's most prominent democracy tolerates political interference in media regulation and the concentration of editorial power in friendly conglomerates, it undermines the credibility of US advocacy for press freedom abroad — and provides cover for authoritarian governments to pursue similar policies.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)