Fact check: What is the total number of television stations owned by Nextstar in the United States as of 2025?

1. Why the 265 figure is the headline—Deal accounting reshaped the map

Multiple analyses published around the Tegna announcement present 265 full‑power stations as Nexstar’s new total after closing the transaction, stressing the breadth of coverage across 44 states plus D.C. and claiming stations in nine of the top ten Designated Market Areas and 41 of the top 50 DMAs ^{[1] [4]}. These contemporaneous sources use identical language and numerical framing, indicating the figure is a deal‑driven consolidation total rather than an older standalone inventory. The emphasis on DMA reach and the 80% of U.S. TV households metric shows the outlets reporting the number are prioritizing audience footprint when presenting the 265 count ^{[1] [4]}.

2. Older counts that say “more than 200” or 197 reflect pre‑deal realities

Company profiles and encyclopedia‑style descriptions that list Nexstar as owning “more than 200” stations or give a specific count like 197 appear to be snapshots from before the Tegna deal was announced or finalized ^{[2] [3]}. These earlier figures correspond to Nexstar’s established portfolio prior to acquisition activity that would add Tegna’s stations to the roster. The discrepancy between these numbers and the 265 figure therefore arises from timing: the lower totals are accurate for Nexstar at an earlier date, while the 265 figure is presented as the combined company total at deal completion ^{[2] [3]}.

3. How reporters and company statements frame the same number differently

Coverage emphasizes different aspects of the 265‑station claim: press releases and deal summaries foreground the combined footprint, market penetration, and household reach, while local reporting highlights specific market impacts—like control of multiple San Diego commercial stations—illustrating how the same numerical claim is used to underscore corporate scale or local market concentration ^[4]. The consistency of the 265 number across legal filings and news stories at the same late‑August 2025 window suggests broad acceptance of the post‑transaction total in public reporting, even as commentary focuses on competitive and regulatory implications ^[1].

4. Conflicting totals tell a story about timing and purpose, not basic math errors

The presence of divergent counts across sources does not indicate arithmetic mistakes so much as different reference points: legacy profiles list Nexstar’s historical station count, while transaction coverage reports the aggregate that would exist after Tegna’s assets are folded in ^{[3] [1]}. Analysts and journalists routinely present both types of figures depending on whether they aim to describe the company as it stood prior to the deal or as it would stand after consolidation. This explains why some sources remain at “more than 200” while others uniformly cite 265 in the context of the acquisition ^{[2] [4]}.

5. What remains to be checked—regulatory outcomes and final closing

Although multiple late‑August 2025 reports state 265 full‑power stations as the combined total, this figure hinges on the deal’s final approvals, divestitures, or regulatory conditions that could alter the ultimate station count at closing ^[1]. Public statements at the time emphasize the projected post‑deal footprint but do not capture subsequent FCC rulings, required sales, or partner arrangements that sometimes reduce or reassign stations before legal closing. The 265 number should be understood as the announced post‑transaction total contingent on the completion process described by reporters and company releases ^{[1] [4]}.

6. Who benefits from each framing—and why agenda matters

Deal announcements that highlight 265 stations and 80% household reach serve Nexstar’s narrative of market dominance and scale, useful for investor and competitive positioning, while local journalists highlighting market concentration—such as dominance in San Diego—underscore potential antitrust or local plurality concerns ^{[1] [4]}. Sources emphasizing older, smaller totals may implicitly downplay consolidation impacts or simply reflect pre‑deal profiles; recognizing these differing motivations helps interpret why outlets choose one figure over another in 2025 reporting ^{[2] [4]}.

7. Bottom line for the question asked—accepted answer with context

The best summary of Nexstar’s total number of U.S. television stations “as of 2025” in reporting tied to the Tegna transaction is 265 full‑power stations across 44 states and D.C., presented as the combined post‑acquisition total in multiple late‑August 2025 reports; legacy figures like 197 or “more than 200” reflect the pre‑deal company profile and therefore are not the post‑transaction count ^{[1] [3]}. Readers tracking the absolute final number should watch for any regulatory dispositions or post‑announcement divestitures that could adjust the closing total.