March 29 (UPI) -- A judge has temporarily blocked the merger of Nexstar and Tegna, which would create a company that controls 260 television stations across the U.S.
Nexstar, already the largest television stations owner in the country, agreed to buy Tegna -- which is Gannett's broadcasting arm -- announced the $6.2 billion merger in August and the FCC earlier this month approved the merger.
The deal would give the combined companies access to roughly 60% of U.S. households, and FCC chief Brendan Carr pinned the decision on underwriting this many stations by one company as protecting "the future of local broadcast TV stations."
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Friday, however, issued a 14-day temporary restraining order to put the merger on hold after a lawsuit from DirecTV alleged that the merger violates antitrust laws, Deadline and NBC News reported.
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