Hearst Television vs Nexstar Media Group

Dish May Lose Hearst Local Channels Tonight

Dish and Hearst Television Inc. face a retransmission consent renewal deadline on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET; if they fail to reach an agreement, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local affiliates carrying ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW in multiple U.S. markets. The article lists many affected local stations and markets and notes a similar 2023 dispute produced a two-month blackout. The piece also references that Dish filed for bankruptcy on June 30, 2026, while stating the company says it is operating as usual during the process.

• Dish faces a retransmission consent renewal deadline with Hearst Television Inc. on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
• If no deal is reached, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, and The CW in multiple U.S. markets.
• A 2023 renegotiation between Dish and Hearst previously resulted in a two-month blackout.

Starling Launches CTV Supply-Side Platform from Stealth

Starling, a new supply-side platform (SSP) purpose-built for connected TV (CTV), has officially launched. The company emerges from stealth with backing from MBL Partners and strategic investors, aiming to address fragmentation, lack of transparency, and underutilized audience intelligence in CTV advertising. Starling offers content and program-level intelligence, down to show-level reporting, and supports emerging formats like pause ads and home-screen placements. The leadership team includes Michael Bassik as Executive Chair and Acting CEO, Sean Miller as COO/CFO, Reshmi Nair as CTO (formerly of Magnite), and Wil Danielson as CRO (formerly of Nexstar). Starling has secured publisher relationships including Xumo, to provide access to premium inventory such as live sports.

• Starling launched as a CTV-focused supply-side platform (SSP).
• The company is backed by MBL Partners and strategic investors.
• Reshmi Nair, formerly of Magnite, joins as CTO.

Investor Presentation Released: Nexstar Media Group

AI parsed presentation narrative: Nexstar asserts that its combination with TEGNA is a pro-consumer move that expands local news and creates a more balanced national news landscape via NewsNation. Management argues the combined entity remains a fraction of the size of 'Big Tech' and legacy media giants, while highlighting that multichannel distributors like DIRECTV are unfairly undercompensating broadcasters for high-value content. Key tailwinds mentioned: Over-The-Air (OTA) Growth, NewsNation Expansion.

Judge Rules Nexstar Violated Tegna Injunction

On August 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley found that Nexstar Media Group violated a preliminary injunction related to its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna Inc. The injunction, entered April 17, 2026, required Nexstar to keep Tegna as a separate business unit while an antitrust lawsuit brought by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and seven other states proceeded. The court concluded Nexstar breached the order by appointing a board for Tegna composed largely of Nexstar executives and by failing to disclose the appointments. Judge Nunley ordered dissolution of that board, monthly compliance reports, and announced the forthcoming appointment of a special master to monitor adherence to separation requirements.

• U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley ruled on August 6, 2026 that Nexstar Media Group violated a preliminary injunction connected to its acquisition of Tegna.
• The underlying deal is Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna, completed the prior year.
• The preliminary injunction was entered on April 17, 2026 to keep Tegna as a distinct business unit while antitrust litigation proceeds.