State attorneys general are playing politics with local news. Democracy pays the price

Millions of Americans still tune in to local television news for weather alerts, traffic updates, sports, school closings, and community affairs.

While the share of the public getting news from local television has declined somewhat, roughly 65% of U.S. adults share this common civic experience. 

This is why it is concerning that a coalition of state attorneys general, working in league with DIRECTV, is now trying to kill the Nexstar-Tegna merger after federal regulators already approved it.

EUROPEAN LEGISLATORS JOIN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN SCRUTINIZING PARAMOUNT-WBD MERGER

Nexstar Media Group is the largest owner of local television stations in the United States, operating hundreds of stations affiliated with major broadcast networks such as NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox across both large and mid-sized media markets. As local television faces growing competition from streaming platforms, social media, and digital advertising markets, traditional cable and broadcast revenue models have weakened.

The merger with TEGNA