― Q1 2026 revenue +4%, Adjusted EBITDA +13%; political ads up 200% as live sports leads growth

― CEO Chris Ripley sees the industry consolidating into two major groups, with Nexstar-Tegna as the policy turning point

― Ripley warns that moving major sports behind paywalls erodes the funding base for local journalism — K82 launches in Washington D.C. on Sept. 14

US local television industry has entered a period of structural upheaval. The retransmission, political-advertising and live-sports reach model that anchored the business for nearly half a century is now being shaken on three fronts at once: the steady erosion of cable and satellite subscribers, the migration of marquee sports rights into streaming, and the rise of next-generation advertising and content environments built on ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV).

흔들리는 美 지역방송… 싱클레어, M&A·라이브 스포츠·K-콘텐츠 ‘전방위 베팅’
미국 로컬TV 시장 통합·스트리밍·정책 격변기에 들어선 가운데, 싱클레어는 M&A와 라이브 스포츠, ATSC 3.0 기반 K‑콘텐츠 채널 K82에 동시에 베팅. “더 큰 지상파”와 “더 다른 지상파” 구축
K-EnterTech HubJung Han

Washington's posture toward the sector also shifted in April. The Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice cleared the $6.2 billion Nexstar-Tegna merger without conditions or divestitures, marking the policy hinge of this transition. The narrow lens that long defined the relevant market as 'broadcasters competing against other broadcasters' was set aside, and a broader frame — one that includes cable, connected TV and digital video — began to take its place in regulatory analysis.