WRNN, the quirky New York City independent, was sold for $212 million in the FCC's reverse auction, topping every other station in the market and possibly the country, according to broadcast industry sources.
The station, which operates on ch. 48, is owned by the French family, which is headed by CEO Dick French and does business as RNN. According to the RNN website, the family bought the station in 1993.
WRNN airs mostly paid programming, but at 6 p.m. each weekday, it broadcasts a public affairs show hosted by Richard French, son of the CEO. That show, Richard French Live, is followed by a half-hour newscast, Newsline, produced by NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster.
Neither father nor son responded to requests for comment.
