A federal judge on Friday evening granted a temporary restraining order to halt Nexstar‘s merger with Tegna, a transaction that creates a broadcasting giant with almost 260 stations across the country.
U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley sided with DirecTV, which is seeking to block the merger on the claim that it violates antitrust laws. A group of states, including California and New York, also are seeking to sideline the transaction.
In his order, Nunley wrote that DirecTV established “a likelihood of success on the merits” on its claim, and that moving forward with the transaction would create “irreparable harm.” Those are two key factors courts weigh in issuing TROs, after which a judge gives a fuller consideration as the legal process plays out. In ordering at least a temporary halt to the merger, the judge wrote that the “private benefits Nexstar could obtain by acquiring Tegna are outweighed by
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