## Nexstar & Tegna Defy Court Order: Claim Merger Integration 'Cannot Be Undone'
Nexstar Media Group and Tegna are openly challenging a federal court's authority, claiming they cannot fully comply with a judge's order to halt their $6.2 billion merger. In a bold legal maneuver, the companies argue that integration steps taken after the deal's controversial approval 'cannot be undone,' placing them in direct conflict with a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley.

The conflict stems from the lightning-fast timeline of the deal. FCC Commissioner Brandon Carr bypassed the full Senate to approve the merger just last week. Judge Nunley responded by issuing the restraining order on Friday, prohibiting any further integration. Nexstar and Tegna's legal filing pushes back, stating that 'typical steps' were taken upon closing and that freezing the process is 'particularly difficult' and, in some aspects, 'impossible.' They warn that full compliance could 'jeopardize' the very assets the court seeks to preserve.

This defiance creates a high-stakes legal standoff. The companies' argument that actions are irreversible effectively dares the court to find them in contempt or to craft a novel remedy. The situation places immense pressure on Judge Nunley's court to assert its authority over a massive media consolidation that was rushed through regulatory approval. The outcome will test the power of judicial injunctions to halt corporate mergers already in motion and could set a precedent for how companies navigate regulatory and legal challenges post-closing.
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- **Source**: ONTD
- **Sector**: The Network
- **Tags**: merger, FCC, legal, media, regulation
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-01 20:57:09
- **ID**: 46034
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/46034