Neguse, Bennet Urge FCC Put Colorado Communities Over Corporate Interest, Reject Nexstar Media-Tegna Merger
October 24, 2025
Lafayette, CO — Congressman Joe Neguse and Senator Michael Bennet implored Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to put community interest over corporate profit and reject the Nexstar Media-Tegna merger. The $6.2 billion deal between the two broadcast companies is in direct violation of a federal law, enforceable by the FCC, that prevents a single company from controlling television stations that collectively reach more than 39% of U.S. households. Barring action from the agency, the merger would create a local TV giant, granting the Nexstar Media Group ownership of 265 stations across 44 states and increasing its reach to about 80% of U.S. households.
“We write to express significant concern about the proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA Inc that is currently under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review. If approved, this deal would violate the national broadcast ownership cap and could have devastating consequences for our home state of Colorado. That’s why we implore your agency to put Americans first and reject this deal that will ultimately put corporate profit above the needs of our communities,” wrote Neguse and Bennet.
For Colorado, the Nexstar Media–Tegna merger would consolidate local TV news stations, giving corporate owners greater control over programming and the framing of local coverage—undercutting staff and resources while removing a local voice from syndicated programs.
“The national broadcast ownership cap promotes competition and incentivizes stations to maintain local newsroom activity and retain local journalism jobs. Without it, our media coverage will become more nationalized and local coverage will decrease. [...] As you know, acquired stations often replace diverse, community-specific reporting with centrally produced content, reducing ideological variety and distancing local broadcasting from the very communities it’s meant to serve.”
Carr and Nexstar Media Group already shared public headlines in September after reports suggested the company pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its affiliate stations in response to remarks by the FCC Chairman, who warned networks that failed to do so: “When we see stuff like this, look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
This behavior raised significant public concern that the Trump administration was using the FCC to pressure media outlets and exert political influence over their coverage.
The Colorado lawmakers concluded: “Approving this merger is not in the public interest, nor is it within the authority of the FCC. Congress made it clear that only Congress, not the FCC, has the authority to unilaterally lift or eliminate the national broadcast ownership cap. As such, this proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA Inc. would violate federal law and jeopardize local news stations and local coverage. For this reason, we urge you to reject this merger and maintain the integrity of our local media.”
Read their full letter HERE and below:
October 23, 2025
Brendan Carr
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
45 L Street NE
Washington, D.C., 20554
Chairman Brendan Carr,
We write to express significant concern about the proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA Inc that is currently under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review. If approved, this deal would violate the national broadcast ownership cap and could have devastating consequences for our home state of Colorado. That’s why we implore your agency to put Americans first and reject this deal that will ultimately put corporate profit above the needs of our communities.
Congress set the national broadcast ownership cap in statute via Section 202(c)(1)(B) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104) and further strengthened this cap via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–199). The ownership cap currently stands at 39 percent of U.S. TV households, after applying the FCC’s ultra-high-frequency (UHF) discount. The Nexstar Media Group is already the largest owner of broadcast television stations nationally, reaching about 39 percent of U.S. TV households after applying the UHF discount, and 70 percent of households with the discount removed. By allowing Nexstar to acquire TEGNA, which currently owns 64 stations in 51 markets, Nexstar would increase its reach to about 80 percent of U.S. households, if the UHF discount is removed. This is a clear violation of the national broadcast ownership cap, and therefore the law.
The national broadcast ownership cap promotes competition and incentivizes stations to maintain local newsroom activity and retain local journalism jobs. Without it, our media coverage will become more nationalized and local coverage will decrease. We have seen this play out in Colorado in the past – when Fox 31 and Channel 2 merged operations, Channel 2 was largely folded into Fox 31 and much of Channel 2’s independent programming was discontinued. As you know, acquired stations often replace diverse, community-specific reporting with centrally produced content, reducing ideological variety and distancing local broadcasting from the very communities it’s meant to serve.
A merger like this could jeopardize stations in Colorado, and reduce consumer access to varied and locally-oriented programming. In Denver, two stations – Nexstar-owned Fox31 and TEGNA-owned 9News and its sister station KTVD – could potentially be folded together. And the possibility of anticompetitive consolidation is not confined to Colorado – similar concerns exist in Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Tampa.
Approving this merger is not in the public interest, nor is it within the authority of the FCC. Congress made it clear that only Congress, not the FCC, has the authority to unilaterally lift or eliminate the national broadcast ownership cap. As such, this proposed merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA Inc. would violate federal law and jeopardize local news stations and local coverage. For this reason, we urge you to reject this merger and maintain the integrity of our local media.
Sincerely,
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