Nexstar Media-Tegna merger sparks clash between – Business News
The controversial Nexstar Media-Tegna merger has sparked an uncommon clash that might attain the halls of the White House — pitting a high media government close to President Trump towards the hard-charging FCC chairman Brendan Carr, The Post has discovered.
The $6.2 billion mega-deal — which might create a local-TV giant with 265 stations throughout 44 states — bought an uncomfortable highlight final month after Carr threatened motion towards ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s inflammatory feedback in regards to the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Nexstar, which already owns dozens of native ABC TV associates, quickly pulled Kimmel off its airwaves — prompting accusations that it was sucking up to Carr to gain the FCC’s approval for the merger.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr speaks during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2025 Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 9, 2025. REUTERS
The deal’s key hurdle is an FCC rule barring any single entity from proudly owning native stations that attain more than 39% of US households.
Antitrust hawks fret that the merger would create a giant with upwards of 80% market share.
Carr has mentioned he’s open to ending what he’s referred to as “arcane artificial limits” on station possession, arguing they maintain back native information whereas enabling Big Tech streamers like YouTube to grow unchecked.
In May, more than 20 conservative teams and leaders, together with Heritage Action for America and Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist, instructed Carr that native TV broadcasters are at an “inherent disadvantage” in comparison with YouTube and Facebook due to the rule.
“Without reform, valued local broadcast radio and television services could disappear entirely,” the teams mentioned.
But in an uncommon twist, Chris Ruddy — the well-connected CEO of the right-leaning community Newsmax who’s a close ally of President Trump — has led a charge on Capitol Hill to kill the Nexstar-Tegna deal, sources instructed The Post.
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy opposes the Nexstar-Tegna merger. Pacific Press/LightRocket through Getty Images
Ruddy — whose requires a regulatory clampdown aren’t typical within the GOP — “has a track record of being able to speak to Trump” and has made headway in convincing some Republicans to take his aspect, a source conversant in the scenario mentioned.
Ruddy claims repealing the 39% cap would permit “left-leaning broadcast networks” to gain an excessive amount of energy.
His larger worry, in accordance with some critics, is that Nexstar’s deal may pave the way in which for the right-leaning Sinclair to develop into a yet-bigger rival.
In an interview with The Post, Ruddy argued the FCC lacks legal standing to change the 39% rule, which was ratified by Congress.
The Newsmax boss, who has not too long ago stepped up his lobbying efforts on the Hill, added that he felt Carr was “out on a limb” by exploring the repeal, which he claims “has very little support in Congress.”
Ruddy mentioned a removing of the 39% cap will harm Newsmax and different unbiased media manufacturers. AFP through Getty Images
“The Democrats are all opposed to this merger and the 39% cap,” Ruddy mentioned. “And every Republican I’ve spoken to, I’ve never heard somebody say that this is a good idea. So they’re on very thin ice. this is all an ‘inside the Beltway’ idea and concept to help the TV industry, which does little for Republicans.”
Despite Ruddy’s declare, some Republicans have certainly spoken out in favor of the rule change.
In May, a group of 22 Republican senators, together with Sens. Jerry Moran, Shelley Moore Capito and Marsha Blackburn, urged Carr in a letter to “modernize” broadcast possession guidelines.” And in March, a bipartisan group of more than 50 House members despatched a related plea to the FCC.
Fox Television Stations, which operates 28 native stations nationwide, has supported lifting the 39% cap and shares a common proprietor with News Corp., the writer of The Post. Newsmax and Ruddy are presently suing Fox News for allegedly sustaining an unlawful monopoly and suppressing conservative rivals.
Ruddy’s detractors declare he’s pushed more by self-interest than any authentic gripe about coverage. They level to his previous help of Gigi Sohn — a Democrat who supported the 39% cap — to function an FCC commissioner in 2021.
The Biden White House finally withdrew Sohn’s nomination after her affirmation was repeatedly held up in Congress.
“Newsmax, a strong conservative right-wing network, supported what many on the right believed to be a far-left nominee because she would restrict broadcaster growth,” a former FCC official mentioned. “Ruddy has gone to extreme lengths, I would say, to make his case. It’s always been a narrow competitive interest.”
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy is a close ally of President Trump. AP
Ruddy instructed The Post he had supported Sohn solely for a Democratic seat on the five-person panel and since she was an advocate for unbiased networks like Newsmax.
“When you create these huge station groups, they have tremendous leverage to get fees that are not warranted for the cable channels, which hurts independent programmers like me – and potentially the strength to keep me off altogether,” Ruddy added. “I’m fighting for Newsmax’s life dealing with these big companies. They’re trying to squish us.”
The FCC declined to remark.
Carr has repeatedly mentioned he needs any information retailers that air on public channels to abide by the FCC “public interest” rule, making certain a honest combine of political opinions of their programming.
At the identical time, he has pushed a review of the 39% cap and different laws as half of his “Delete, Delete, Delete” deregulation drive.
Jimmy Kimmel was briefly faraway from the air after making insensitive remarks in regards to the killing of Charlie Kirk. ABC/AFP through Getty Images
Sinclair, Nexstar and different native TV station homeowners equally argue the 39% rule doesn’t make sense “in a marketplace dominated by the likes of Google/YouTube, Amazon, Meta, and Netflix,” who ran attain viewers globally with little friction of regulation.
Carr mentioned final month he had not “made a final decision” on whether or not to take away the native possession cap – however hinted that he was skeptical of Newsmax’s argument towards the change.
“It’s interesting to me that neither [Newsmax] nor OAN have a 39% limit on the households that they can reach,” Carr instructed Policyband. “If they want to accept one, and then make the argument that everyone else should be subject to the same cap as them, then relatively speaking that argument might have some more weight.”
Nexstar is pushing for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna. SOPA Images/LightRocket through Getty Images
Those in favor of repealing the 39% cap level out that mergers would nonetheless be subject to antitrust review. The Justice Department, for instance, would possible order Nexstar to divest stations in markets the place it could have a dominant maintain earlier than permitting the deal to undergo.
In a July 23 submitting personally signed by Ruddy, Newsmax described Nexstar because the guardian company of “liberal-leaning” NewsNation that has stocked its lineup with anti-Trump hosts like Chris Cuomo.
“This is about, first and foremost having competition so that 3 or 4 companies don’t own all the TV licenses, all the major licenses across the country,” Ruddy mentioned. “That’s the number one reason I’m doing it. Second, it does honestly impact my business and it hurts me.”
