Poll: Big GOP Opposition to Nexstar Merger, TV Consolidation

A new national survey of Republican primary voters finds overwhelming opposition to the proposed Nexstar–Tegna merger and deep resistance to further consolidation of television stations under large corporate ownership.

The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, found base Republican voters place a high value on local television news and strongly prefer locally owned stations.

The poll also indicated these voters fear large media mergers as a threat to fair debate, local coverage, and consumer costs. (Surveyed 800 Republican primary voters nationwide, between Jan. 31 and Feb. 4, 2026. Margin of error is ±3.46%.)