Plaintiffs in the ongoing antitrust case against the Nexstar-Tegna merger have asked a federal judge to clarify that Nexstar executives are barred from sitting on Tegna's board, arguing their presence may already breach a court injunction that paused the deal. A coalition of state attorneys general and DirecTV filed the motion, saying the arrangement risks undermining the requirement that the two broadcasters operate as separate, independently managed businesses while litigation continues. The dispute matters because it tests how strictly Nexstar must maintain separation from Tegna even though it has already closed the acquisition, and could affect the fate of a merger that would create America's largest television station group.

The plaintiffs, including California and New York, cited Nexstar CEO Perry Sook's continued board role and claimed executives had already approved Tegna's budget and been involved in strategic decisions, potentially exposing competitively sensitive information. They also noted Sook has described Tegna as operating as a Nexstar "subsidiary". Nexstar responded that it has "scrupulously complied" with the hold-separate order and that board oversight is necessary for financial reporting. US District Judge Troy Nunley issued the injunction in April, and Nexstar is separately appealing that ruling to the Ninth Circuit, which has yet to schedule arguments; the merger, cleared by the FCC in March, would give Nexstar close to 260 stations reaching 80% of the country.