Donald Trump has spent years calling the free press “the enemy of the people.” It’s the same framing used by authoritarian leaders everywhere to justify control, intimidation, and the eventual capture of media institutions.
What’s happening with Nexstar–Tegna fits the pattern.
The Nexstar Media Group–Tegna deal would merge two major local TV owners, letting Nexstar absorb Tegna’s stations and sharply reduce the number of independent station owners across U.S. markets.
