Both sides involved in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit over Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA have asked a federal judge in Sacramento to schedule the matter for a jury trial in July 2027.
According to court records reviewed by The Desk, the parties agreed to an expedited schedule to disclose evidence, produce a list of witnesses and experts who are likely to testify in the case and submit other, completed records to the court, with those activities taking place between August of this year and February 2027.
Under the proposed schedule, pre-trial conference would wrap up by June 24, with depositions provided to the court on June 30. Jury selection in the trial would begin as soon as July 27.
A judge must still sign off on the order, and the dates proposed are subject to the court’s availability.
Thirteen state attorneys general and DIRECTV filed separate but related lawsuits challenging Nexstar’s then-pending acquisition of TEGNA in mid-March. Nexstar closed on the deal one day after the complaints were filed, almost immediately after receiving expedited approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
The states — among them, California, Colorado, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania — and DIRECTV say the merger would create a massive local broadcasting operation, one that would lead to higher fees for cable, satellite and streaming consumers and involve substantial layoffs of local journalists in markets where both companies operate TV stations.
Nexstar does not dispute its intention to consolidate newsroom operations in areas with overlapping stations, but said its acquisition of TEGNA is intended to bolster its commitment to local news, not depreciate it. At a court hearing in April, Nexstar’s legal team also said concerns over possible fee increases were speculative, though both companies have a documented history of demanding higher payments from pay TV providers for the privilege of reselling access to their channels.
A federal judge in Sacramento issued a temporary injunction that prevents Nexstar from commingling its operations with TEGNA, with few exceptions that are largely related to federal financial disclosure requirements. TEGNA currently operates as a subsidiary of Nexstar, with its own Board of Directors and executive C-suite. The company is appealing the injunction.
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