Raycom Media has closed its purchase of WVUE New Orleans, giving it formal ownership of the Fox affiliate it has run since 2013.
Raycom bought the station from Louisiana Media Company, headed by New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, for an undisclosed sum. Benson has owned the station since 2008, when he acquired it from Emmis Communications for $41 million with the expressed goal of improving its news output. The station has grown its stature and investigative unit, which has garnered numerous awards, since that time.
“Thanks to investment and the dedication of the WVUE FOX 8 staff, we have accomplished the goals of growing our viewership, becoming an award-winning leader in local television and being of great service to the viewers in New Orleans,” Benson said in a statement. “Raycom Media has been an excellent partner and I am confident that WVUE FOX 8 will continue to grow and have a healthy and influential future in the New Orleans market. I wish them the best moving forward.”
The FCC granted the license transfer June 22.
