Wiley Rein Serves as Regulatory Counsel to Nexstar in Successful Completion of $7.2 Billion Tribune Media Acquisition

September 23, 2019

Washington, DC – On September 19, Wiley Rein client Nexstar Media Group announced the successful completion of its $7.2 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Company. Wiley Rein served as regulatory counsel to Nexstar in this complex transaction, helping secure approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – which allowed the companies to close the deal.

On September 16, the FCC granted Nexstar’s applications to merge with Tribune Media, including the divestiture of 19 stations in 15 markets to ensure compliance with FCC local and national television ownership rules. The merger creates the nation’s largest local television broadcaster.

Richard J. Bodorff, partner in Wiley Rein’s Telecom, Media & Technology (TMT) Practice – led the Wiley Rein team representing Nexstar in the transaction – along with TMT co-chair Kathleen A. Kirby, partners Eve Klindera Reed, Gregory L. Masters, and Ari Meltzer, and associate Kathleen E. Scott. Special counsel Kathryne C. Dickerson, senior public policy advisor Scott Weaver and partner Gregg L. Elias also provided support. 

Since its founding more than 35 years ago, Wiley Rein has been at the center of largest and most transformative telecom and media transactions in the United States. The TMT Group has unparalleled transactional experience, representing clients – most of them top brands in their specific industry space – with complex transactions involving large- and small-scale mergers and acquisitions, asset and stock sales, strategic alliances and collaborations, services arrangements, restructurings, and leveraged buyouts.

More details on the transaction can be found here.