March 19, 2026—America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects) released the following statement regarding recent lawsuits filed to challenge and stop the mega-broadcast merger between Nexstar and Tegna.
“We agree that the proposed Nexstar–Tegna deal would hand even more market power to the nation’s largest broadcast conglomerate—power that history shows will be abused to drive up carriage fees and raise television bills for hardworking Americans,” said Grant Spellmeyer, President and CEO of America’s Communications Association. “This further skewing of the marketplace will hit smaller cable operators and their largely rural customer base the hardest.”
America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects) is a trade organization representing approximately 500 small and medium-sized, independent companies that provide high-speed internet, video, phone, and mobile services covering 29 million households. ACA Connects members operate in every state, providing advanced communications to connect homes, companies, main street, schools, hospitals and more. America’s economic prosperity in smaller communities and rural areas depends on the growth and success of independent operators, who believe a connected nation is a prosperous nation. For more information, visit www.acaconnects.org.