By Frank Macek The announcement that Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA have reached a deal to merge by the second half of 2026 has sent shockwaves through the broadcasting world. On paper, it is a simple story of consolidation: the nation’s largest local broadcaster buying another major group to expand its footprint even further. But beneath the headlines lies a much more complicated tale of politics, law, and regulatory maneuvering that will determine whether this megadeal actually happens. For Nexstar and TEGNA, the road to the altar is anything but straightforward, and the forces lining up for and against it reveal how much the future of local television hangs in the balance. At its core, the Nexstar-TEGNA deal is about scale. Together, the two companies would own more than 200 television stations, reaching nearly 80 percent of U.S. television households. That is an extraordinary figure, one that dwarfs competitors like Sinclair, Gray, and Paramount Global. The problem is obvious...
By Frank Macek When the digital television transition arrived in the United States back in 2009, it carried with it a promise of endless possibility. Broadcasters were no longer bound by the limitations of analog signals. With the flip to digital, every station suddenly had the ability to transmit not just its main channel, but multiple additional channels through the magic of digital compression. The concept of the subchannel was born. For viewers, it meant more programming choices without paying a larger bill, and for broadcasters, it looked like an untapped revenue stream waiting to be exploited. In those early days, the airwaves were flooded with new names like MeTV, Antenna TV, Cozi TV, This TV, Grit, Bounce, Laff, Heroes & Icons, and Comet. These networks were programmed primarily with reruns of classic television shows, low-cost syndicated programming, and specialty movies. For audiences, it was suddenly possible to watch The Andy Griffith Show , M A S H*, or I Love Lu...