SDNY Sets Conference on Nexstar’s Anticipated Motion to Dismiss DirecTV’s Collusion Suit

The U.S. District Court for Southern New York in Manhattan scheduled a dial-in pre-motion teleconference for May 31 at 12:15 p.m. EDT on Nexstar’s forthcoming motion to dismiss DirecTV’s antitrust complaint, said a text-only docket entry Monday (docket 1:23-cv-02221). DirecTV’s litigation accusing Nexstar and its broadcast sidecars Mission and White Knight of colluding to set retransmission consent fee prices (see 2303150041) should be dismissed for multiple reasons, Nexstar wrote U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty in a letter Friday requesting the pre-motion conference (see 2305210001). DirecTV alleges the broadcasters' “unlawful price-fixing conspiracy” is the root cause of unsuccessful retrans talks with Mission and White Knight resulting in blackouts.