To close the deal, Nexstar will need approval from the Federal Communications Commission, which could cement its position as the biggest provider of local TV in the U.S.

Competing TV stations in Des Moines and the Quad Cities could be owned by the same parent company following a proposed merger of Tegna and Nexstar.

Nexstar Media will acquire rival broadcast company Tegna for $6.2 billion according to a joint announcement on Tuesday, another sign of consolidation in an already contracting TV broadcast sector. The transaction,