Nexstar Media Group, already the largest owner of local television stations in America, announced this week its plan to acquire Tegna, the nation's fourth-largest broadcaster, in a deal valued at more than $6 billion. If approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the merger would give Nexstar ownership of more than 265 TV stations, creating a dominant media conglomerate unlike anything in U.S. broadcasting history.
On "American Agenda," Tom Basile, host of "America Right Now," sounded the alarm, calling the deal a threat to "viewpoint diversity" and warning it could undermine free speech.
"This is about protecting free speech and different viewpoints," Basile said Wednesday.
He added, "Ronald Reagan and Congress put ownership caps in place back in the 1980s to make sure no one or two companies could control all of the broadcast media in America."
Those aforementioned caps initially prevented any one company from reaching more than 25% of U.S. households. Over time, that limit was raised to 39%.
Basile noted Nexstar already reaches 63% of households, thanks to waivers it received in 2018 when it acquired Tribune Broadcasting. The Tegna deal would push its reach to a staggering 80%.
"That's concerning," he said. "If one or two companies control nearly all broadcast media, you lose viewpoint diversity and local news. Imagine if someone like George Soros started buying up stations nationwide — without limits, we'd be left with one-sided 'groupthink.'"
Basile pointed out that Nexstar owns NewsNation, which leans left. "That's fine," he said, "but if they control that much of the broadcast market, how will conservative outlets compete?"
Newsmax has formally opposed the merger, urging the FCC to reject it.
Basile questioned whether former President Donald Trump is aware of the deal's potential impact, noting Trump has long championed free speech and diversity of viewpoints.
Critics argue the merger could wipe out competition and give left-leaning outlets the power to "put their finger on the scale."
Proponents of the deal say large broadcasters need to scale up to compete with Big Tech and online platforms that have eroded advertising revenue. Basile acknowledged the media landscape is evolving but insisted that competition must not come at the expense of local coverage and ideological variety.
"You still have to afford the opportunity for viewpoint diversity and for facts and journalism," Basile stressed. "It can't be a vacuum where one person dictates all viewpoints."
Whether the FCC approves the merger remains uncertain.
Basile noted Commissioner Brendan Carr has signaled openness to lifting the cap, but legal challenges could follow. "This may be far from over," he said. "It could end up in the courts."
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