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The Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission approved the $6.2 billion merger between the companies Nexstar and Tegna. Critics say the process was rushed to please the president. NPR's David Folkenflik reports.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: If it goes through, Nexstar will have 259 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr publicly endorsed the deal earlier this year right after President Trump did. He argues that the national networks have become too powerful.
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BRENDAN CARR: They've effectively turned those local TV stations into mouthpieces for the foie gras, oftentimes...
MIRANDA DEVINE: Right.
CARR: ...That they're producing in New York and Hollywood.
FOLKENFLIK: That's Carr speaking on a podcast from the New York Post.
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CARR: One of the North Stars of the policies we're pushing here at the FCC is to rebalance that.
FOLKENFLIK: That rebalancing allows Nexstar to reach 80% of U.S. households. Congress had earlier passed a law limiting owners to less than half of that. The FCC granted a waiver without even a vote from the commission - just a decision from the agency in near-record time. While awaiting approval, Nexstar backed Carr's attacks on ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Its NewsNation cable show mocked CNN in ads.
GIGI SOHN: Nothing here is normal.
FOLKENFLIK: That's Gigi Sohn, a former senior staffer at the FCC.
SOHN: This is the prime example of the fix being in. And I've never - in 35 years of doing this, I've never seen anything that even vaguely approaches what has gone on today.
FOLKENFLIK: The Justice Department gave its blessing, too, but the Nexstar deal's next date will be in court. Eight Democratic state attorneys general and the conservative cable news outlet Newsmax are suing to block the deal.
David Folkenflik, NPR News.
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