A federal judge backed Kansas and other states challenging Nexstar Media Group's purchase of Tegna. Chief Judge Troy Nunley ruled Aug. 5, 2026, that Nexstar violated a separation order by installing its executives on Tegna's board.
Nexstar agreed Aug. 19, 2025, to buy all Tegna shares for $22 per share in cash. The deal was valued at $6.2 billion including debt and fees, according to Nexstar's acquisition announcement. A preliminary injunction is a court order that keeps the companies separate during the lawsuit.
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What the judge found
Chief Judge Troy Nunley ruled Aug. 5, 2026, that Nexstar violated the separation order. Nexstar had installed current or former Nexstar executives on Tegna's board.
The judge called the conduct shocking and lacking candor, according to the Kansas Attorney General's Aug. 10 update. The written order bars a wider group from Tegna's board. It covers current and former officers, employees, directors, consultants, or affiliates of Nexstar, according to the court order published through Justia.
Why Kansas joined the fight
Attorney General Kris Kobach joined a bipartisan state lawsuit on April 30, 2026. The suit challenges Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna to protect Kansas consumers and competition, according to the Kansas Attorney General's May 1 statement.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said May 1, 2026, that Kansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Vermont had joined. Reuters reported the additions made the challenge bipartisan with 13 states.
What Tegna must do next
The Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on April 17, 2026. It required Nexstar and Tegna to remain separate during the antitrust case, as Nexstar later reported through Business Wire.
Four of five Tegna directors then resigned. Editor and Publisher and The Desk reported the resignations after the order.
- Remove the barred directors from Tegna's board
- File a compliance report within 10 days
- Keep Tegna independently managed under a non-Nexstar board
Can consumers file a claim?
This ruling does not award payments or open a claim form. It addresses board control and independent management while the case proceeds.
The ruling also does not unwind the closed March 19, 2026, purchase. The Desk reported that Tegna must operate autonomously and seat a non-Nexstar board while the case continues.
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