Louisiana Media Company, owner of Fox WVUE-TV New Orleans, is turning over certain managerial responsibilities to television group owner Raycom via an SSA. As such things go, this deal is on the odd side.
That is because Raycom is not active in the New Orleans DMA. Generally, when an SSA is formed, the station licensee strikes a bargain with the licensee of another in-market television station.
Although Raycom is not active in New Orleans, it is active in the area. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, it has two stations in Baton Rouge LA, and one each in Lake Charles LA, Shreveport LA, Biloxi MS, Hattiesburg MS and Jackson MS.
LMC’s Tom Benson, who retains 100% ownership of WVUE, is hoping the station will benefit from Raycom’s far greater bargaining power, testimony to its fleet of more than 50 owned or operated television stations. It will translate directly into the ability to contract for key syndicated programming, and will offer other economies of scale.
