Brendan Carr
Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
3 articlesMoney
Federal Judge Halts Nexstar-TEGNA Integration; Nexstar Appeals to Ninth Circuit as FCC Status Remains Unresolved
Chief Judge Troy Nunley of the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on April 17, 2026, ordering Nexstar to halt all integration of its $6.2 billion TEGNA acquisition and maintain the broadcaster as an independently managed unit. Nexstar has appealed to the Ninth Circuit, and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has indicated the Media Bureau's approval of the deal is not a final agency decision.
Power
FCC Opens TV Ratings Inquiry Targeting 'Gender Identity' Content in Children's Programming
The FCC's Media Bureau, in a Public Notice released April 22, asks whether shows with transgender and non-binary characters should be re-rated and whether the industry ratings board should add 'faith-based organizations' — even as the Notice's own footnote acknowledges the 1996 statute excludes ratings 'based on political or religious content.'
Money
Judge Blocks $6.2B Nexstar-Tegna Merger That Would Have Reached 80% of US TV Households
A federal judge froze the largest broadcast deal in history after 8 state attorneys general sued, ruling the merger is 'presumed likely to violate antitrust laws' -- even though both the DOJ and FCC had approved it.