Judge Dismisses DirecTV’s Antitrust Lawsuit Against Nexstar
variety.comCynthia Littleton Business Editor A federal judge has dismissed the antitrust lawsuit that DirecTV filed against Nexstar last year accusing the TV station giant of price-fixing in connection with its retransmission consent negotiations with the satellite TV platform.
DirecTV’s suit, filed in New York’s Southern District in March 2023, accused Nexstar of engaging in price-fixing activity around the retransmission consent fees from MVPDs that have become a key source of revenue for local station owners.
In his ruling issued March 20, Judge P. Kevin Castel dismissed the filing, without prejudice, arguing that DirecTV didn’t suffer enough significant harm in its dispute with Nexstar and related TV station owners to warrant an antitrust claim. “DirecTV’s injuries are too indirect and speculative to confer antitrust standing,” Castel wrote.
The case stemmed from the breakdown of negotiations over TV station retransmission consent terms between DirecTV and stations owned by Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting.
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