Justice Department OK's Nexstar/Scripps Deal

It looks like the Nexstar/ Tribune deal has inched closer to being a done deal.

B&C reports that the Justice Department is OK with Nexstar’s spinoffs of eight TV stations to E.W. Scripps, part of its deal to acquire Tribune Media. Scripps is buying eight stations in seven markets for $580 million.

The sale keeps Nexstar on the right side of FCC ownership limits.

Scripps is getting Nexstar's WPIX New York (The CW), KASW Phoenix (CW), WSFL Miami (CW), KSTU Salt Lake City (Fox), WTKR/WGNT Norfolk (CBS/CW), WXMI Grand Rapids, and WTVR Richmond.

Nexstar also is spinning off 11 stations to Tegna.

The DOJ usually coordinates its deal antitrust reviews with the FCC's more extensive public interest review, but there is no telling just when the FCC will weigh in.

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