Nexstar has submitted a 285-page filing to the FCC detailing the reasons it believes it should be able to merge with Tegna, creating new duopolies in Des Moines, the Quad Cities, and other markets.
The Nexstar-Tegna combination would go above the current national ownership cap and create combinations of top-four stations in dozens of markets. Nexstar is seeing waivers of ownership rules, and the filing gives the company’s argument on a market-by-market basis.
Most of the arguments are the same for each location, including the fact that over-the-air TV advertising has declined in each market since 2019 despite an overall rise in local advertising spending. The filing also mentions speeding the transition to ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) and the fact that current Tegna stations would be able to air content created by Nexstar news bureaus in Washington and state capitols.
In Des Moines, the merger would combine Nexstar NBC affiliate WHO-DT/13 (Des Moines) with Tegna ABC affiliate WOI-DT/5 (Ames) and CW affiliate KCWI/23 (Ames).
While specific ratings and revenue figures are redacted, the document says WHO-DT is second in the market and WOI-DT is a “distant third” in audience share and fourth in revenue (Hearst CBS affiliate KCCI/8 Des Moines is number one). KCWI is in seventh place for ratings.
In the Quad Cities, the merger would combine Nexstar CBS affiliate WHBF/4 (Rock Island) and CW affiliate KGCW/26 (Burlington) with Tegna ABC affiliate WQAD/8 (Moline).
The filing says Gray NBC affiliate KWQC/6 (Davenport) is the top-rated station in the market, with WQAD a “distant second.” WHBF ranks third while KGCW is fifth.
Nexstar also currently operates Mission Broadcasting-owned FOX affiliate KLJB/18 (Davenport), which ranks fourth in the market. The filing does not mention the partnership and does not say if it would continue if the merger is approved.
Regionally, Tegna also owns KARE/11 (Minneapolis). Nexstar’s other stations include KCAU/9 (ABC, Sioux City), KELO-TV/11 (CBS, Sioux Falls), KCLO/15 (CBS, Rapid City), KXMB/12 (CBS, Bismarck), WFRV/5 (CBS, Green Bay), and WLAX/25 (FOX, La Crosse), along with additional satellite stations.
In a news release, Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said, “Nexstar’s acquisition of Tegna is vitally important to the future of local television and local journalism. We are grateful that the Trump administration and the FCC recognize that the current television ownership regulations are outdated and do not reflect the competitive media landscape as it has evolved over the past 25+ years.”
The filing came on the same day that Tegna shareholders approved the merger agreement. Tegna’s news release stated that the company anticipates closing the deal in the second half of 2026.