Nexstar to acquire Tegna

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

17 minutes ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

Ignoring their own LMA and SSA stations and treating them as "competition" when in reality they are financially tied to Nexstar and run by them in all but license. That's deception right there

KFXK is a threat to KETK the same way I would be a threat to Mac Mcclung in the Slam Dunk contest. 

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

30 minutes ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

* Focusing on Big Tech when the FCC doesn't even regulate it.

It's Nexstar's own fault that Big Tech is a threat to them in the first place. 

 

You still can't stream KTAL or KTVE. 

[GoldenShine_10 263]

Nexstar also says they will continue to acquire even after Tegna.

 

What's to stop them from getting Hearst, or Gray, or Graham, or even one or more of the networks?

 

https://www.thewrap.com/nexstar-not-finished-with-acquisitions/

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

3 minutes ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

Nexstar also says they will continue to acquire even after Tegna.

 

What's to stop them from getting Hearst, or Gray, or Graham, or even one or more of the networks?

 

https://www.thewrap.com/nexstar-not-finished-with-acquisitions/

I don't think there's much more they can get after this. 

 

They really wanna be a monopoly. 

[JRyan 694]

I've been a stalwart supporter of 99% of what Nexstar does.  But this paperwork, in its present form, is indefensible.  I expected Nexstar to be more forthright with divesting stations, particularly in markets that I've previously mentioned (i.e. Knoxville, Charlotte, NW Arkansas).

 

This paperwork is at best sloppy and replete with arguments that deceive the reader into believing this deal preserves competition and is in the public interest.  It is in the public interest if the public is defined in limited scope as corporate shareholders and not the actual American people that the public airwaves are supposed to belong to.  It deserves every bit of legal and political scrutiny that comes from it.

Edited November 19, 2025 by JRyan

[GoldenShine_10 263]

2 minutes ago, JRyan said:

I've been a stalwart supporter of 99% of what Nexstar does.  But this paperwork, in its present form, is indefensible.  I expected Nexstar to be more forthright with divesting stations, particularly in markets that I've previously mentioned (i.e. Knoxville, Charlotte, NW Arkansas).

 

This paperwork is at best sloppy and replete with arguments that deceive the reader into believing this deal preserves competition and is in the public interest.  It is in the public interest if the public is defined in limited scope as corporate shareholders and not the actual American people that the public airwaves are supposed to belong to.  It deserves every bit of legal and political scrutiny that comes from it.

 

And even if not, explain why it is okay to have only one other local news operation in the market, especially if Nexstar holds 3, 4 or even 5 full-power signals.

[NowBergen 924]

2 minutes ago, JRyan said:

I've been a stalwart supporter of 99% of what Nexstar does.  But this paperwork, in its present form, is indefensible.  I expected Nexstar to be more forthright with divesting stations, particularly in markets that I've previously mentioned (i.e. Knoxville, Charlotte, NW Arkansas).

 

This paperwork is at best sloppy and replete with arguments that deceive the reader into believing this deal preserves competition and is in the public interest.  It is in the public interest if the public is defined in limited scope as corporate shareholders and not the actual American people that the public airwaves are supposed to belong to.  It deserves every bit of legal and political scrutiny that comes from it.

It’s arrogance. Sook believes he has a FCC that will allow him to do whatever he wants.  Nothing in this is good. 

[EVVTV12 204]

1 hour ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

1 hour ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

1 hour ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

I'd go as far as saying they can either keep the two they currently have as is snd sell WTHR or if they want WTHR, they have to sell WXIN and WTTV, and to separate owners. 

WTHR has been one of NBC’s stronger stations since the 90s and NBC would love to own WTHR. Unfortunately with the way this current administration is with NBC/Comcast, that may not happen. 

Edited November 19, 2025 by EVVTV12

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

14 minutes ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

 

And even if not, explain why it is okay to have only one other local news operation in the market, especially if Nexstar holds 3, 4 or even 5 full-power signals.

And I need an explanation on Scranton as well. 

[GoldenShine_10 263]

Does the FCC have a docket set up yet?

[AmericanErrorist 267]

2 hours ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

What's to stop them from getting Hearst, or Gray, or Graham, or even one or more of the networks?

The Big 4 networks can't be bought on the cheap (Byron Allen lowballed ABC's valuation in a bid that was immediately laughed out of contention), so if they bring the dough...

[nathannah 2792]

Every time I see this 'we're going to expand our state capitol/Washington coverage' in these filings I want to scream because Washington is extremely overcovered as it is!

 

Nexstar pulled a bait-and-switch game with NewsNation with their 'news for all Americans' branding/personnel that got dumped after a couple of years in for 'news for only the Beltway and maybe a true crime story here and there to mollify the HLN refugees'. And they draw bupkis from their state capitol bureaus outside 'both sides' claptrap about votes (usually just the aftermath where they just literally read out word-by-word Facebook and Twitter posts from politicians with zero questioning), never any in-depth investigation about how stories affect anyone in their state. Politics is so absudly overcovered as it is, and it's long past time to stop trying to 'public service' everything to get station approval.

 

They always go to this point in every single deal they try to make, and every single time it just ends up being empty lip service unless they have an actual station in the capital city. And it's never 'we're going to expand news coverage in our city of license or (growing community severely underserved by local media)' usually, and if it is, it's just 'we'll put on more newscasts' and in the end it's just going to be more things that should be done by advertisers on their own paid time (store hours, discounts, openings, closings, chicken sandwich war entrants), not a television station in a news side role.

 

Big Tech isn't forcing them to take home improvement contractor ads that should be sent directly to the BBB for obnoxious use of AI, either, and Big Tech isn't forcing them to create entire 'community service' shows that are nothing but ad vehicles. The shell game about top four isn't convincing either; the literal only clean deals that can be made are station shutdowns and moves to subchannels a la WCGV, but of course that's not going to happen with Perry.

Edited November 19, 2025 by nathannah

[mre29 1967]

5 hours ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f919a75226c019a9a0057dc0ff5

 

Anyone else notice that the downloaded file has the filename "REDACTED_-_Project_Nimbus_-_Comprehensive_Exhibit_(with_attachments).pdf"?

 

I haven't read through the document yet, mostly because it's a lot, but also because I have a low tolerance for legalese reading than most of you. But I'm generally opposed to this deal and hope that, at the very least, Nexstar is forced to sell off stations in all conflict markets.

 

That said...

 

7 hours ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

Hartford-New Haven: Require removal or sale of two stations which can be the low ranked ones. Market share not a significant issue here as WTNH and WTIC are 2nd and 4th ranked.

 

I'm actually okay with this idea as there'd still be three news-producing stations in the market (WTNH, WFSB, and WVIT), so it'd be similar to what Hampton Roads (for example) has now.

 

5 hours ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

I don't think there's much more they can get after this. 

 

They really wanna be a monopoly. 

 

They'd have to merge with Sinclair for that to happen -- and if that happens, there should be pressure put on them to name the combined company "SinStar", for what I hope are obvious reasons. 

 

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

6 hours ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

Ignoring their own LMA and SSA stations and treating them as "competition" when in reality they are financially tied to Nexstar and run by them in all but license. That's deception right there.

Never forget also when Nexstar bullied Marshall Broadcasting out of the business and deceived them. 

[JRyan 694]

3 hours ago, mre29 said:

 

 

They'd have to merge with Sinclair for that to happen -- and if that happens, there should be pressure put on them to name the combined company "SinStar", for what I hope are obvious reasons. 

 

 

Essentially Nexstar would be very close to a monopoly in certain markets, especially in Little Rock.  I get the need to consolidate but this deal is simply too broad and would "crowd out" smaller players.

[GoldenShine_10 263]

24 minutes ago, JRyan said:

 

Essentially Nexstar would be very close to a monopoly in certain markets, especially in Little Rock.  I get the need to consolidate but this deal is simply too broad and would "crowd out" smaller players.

 

They also should not be allowed to block someone else from coming in if they want the station.

[tyrannical bastard 4678]

I'd like to know where Nexstar is getting these viewership numbers. 

 

I have a hard time believing that WOIO is the #1 station in Cleveland and that WJW is ranked #3.  Have things really gotten that bad in the post-Goddard era?

Edited November 20, 2025 by tyrannical bastard

[GoldenShine_10 263]

29 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

I'd like to know where Nexstar is getting these viewership numbers. 

 

I have a hard time believing that WOIO is the #1 station in Cleveland and that WJW is ranked #3.  Have things really gotten that bad in the post-Goddard era?

 

I think it might have!

[GoldenShine_10 263]

Quite a few of the pieces are straight-up perjury. That is especially true with the competition statistics and not telling the truth about the SSAs, LMAs and the like. The lack of candor should be disqualifying in the end.

[tyrannical bastard 4678]

We can only hope that Brendan Carr has the change of conscience that Ajit Pai had over the Sinclair-Tribune deal. 
Otherwise, he would be just as complicit as Nexstar if this sham of a deal were to be greenlit.

[GodfreyGR 812]

1 hour ago, tyrannical bastard said:

I'd like to know where Nexstar is getting these viewership numbers. 

 

I have a hard time believing that WOIO is the #1 station in Cleveland and that WJW is ranked #3.  Have things really gotten that bad in the post-Goddard era?

Those were my first thoughts reading through... Cleveland was a surprise, also didn't think that WTSP and WWL were still ranked as high as they are. KPNX in 5th place below both of the Gray duopoly's seemed odd, as well as KGW being in last place in Portland. I know it's proprietary, but those actual numbers would be interesting to see.

 

They were really good with using the spread to their advantage where they could- Example: It is indeed true that WOI is a way distant third to KCCI and WHO- and there is a case, and precedent, from Sioux Falls when Gray got KDLT with the argument that when added to KSFY, they still would have lower combined ratings that KELO... Similar should apply there. 

[ColtFromGulfcoast 869]

At minimum, they could have at least volunteered to sell one of the larger stations in the conflicts like example WGNO, WTIC, KTHV etc.

 

I'm just saying that just to put out there what some people may be thinking. 

 

 

[tyrannical bastard 4678]

There has to be some kind of addendum to their calcuations.  Household numbers?  Rentrak?  Comscore?  Arbitron?  Phone Surveys?

(Comscore still exists but Rentrak and Arbitron have been history for a long time...)
I was surprised to find out Nexstar even uses Nielsen since they did not used to before they got big...

Edited November 20, 2025 by tyrannical bastard

[GoldenShine_10 263]

1 hour ago, GodfreyGR said:

Those were my first thoughts reading through... Cleveland was a surprise, also didn't think that WTSP and WWL were still ranked as high as they are. KPNX in 5th place below both of the Gray duopoly's seemed odd, as well as KGW being in last place in Portland. I know it's proprietary, but those actual numbers would be interesting to see.

 

They were really good with using the spread to their advantage where they could- Example: It is indeed true that WOI is a way distant third to KCCI and WHO- and there is a case, and precedent, from Sioux Falls when Gray got KDLT with the argument that when added to KSFY, they still would have lower combined ratings that KELO... Similar should apply there. 

 

That said, regardless, it's quite possible WTSP could collapse in ratings if CBS pulls the affiliation, and they have that option there since they could do what they did in Atlanta.

 

I can understand the Des Moines duopoly, since KCCI is the 100-ton gorilla in the market and crushes both WHO and WOI combined so market share wouldn't be a predicament there as long as Nexstar does not ever acquire KCCI.

[JRyan 694]

To me, it seems odd to be redacting ratings numbers.  Is that standard for these types of filings?