Editing WIAT (section)

===Shifting affiliations elsewhere, shifting ownership at Park===
In 1994, Park Communications{{efn|Park Broadcasting renamed itself by 1983.<ref name="Rich830928">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch-park-communicati/150121898/|date=September 28, 1983|page=A-9|agency=UPI|title=Park Communications names Byrd to board|newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch|location=Richmond, Virginia|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 26, 2024}}</ref><!-- Wed -->}} sold itself to Donald R. Tomlin and Gary B. Knapp in a deal backed by the [[Retirement Systems of Alabama]] pension fund.<ref name="Birm941027">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-rsa-backs-big-tv/136778229/|date=October 27, 1994|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg/136778239/ A9]|first=David|last=Rynecki|title=RSA backs big TV deal: WBMG parent firm is sold|newspaper=Birmingham Post-Herald|location=Birmingham, Alabama|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063224/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-rsa-backs-big-tv/136778229/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> The sale of Park led to the end of Herrod's ''Action News'' format and combative approach in favor of a more mainstream news presentation with the same amount of crime news as other local stations. A new news director was hired in late 1995; the station initiated new weekend, morning, and 5{{nbsp}}p.m. newscasts in 1996; and the newsroom was expanded from {{convert|1500|ft2|m2}} to {{convert|3900|ft2|m2}}.<ref name="Birm960603">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg-mainstreams/136948370/|date=June 3, 1996|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg/136948376/ B4]|first=Nick|last=Patterson|title=WBMG mainstreams news: Facilities, coverage expanding|newspaper=Birmingham Post-Herald|location=Birmingham, Alabama|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063727/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg-mainstreams/136948370/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->

Meanwhile, a major realignment of television station affiliations and ownership was brewing in the market. In May 1994, [[New World Communications]] agreed to affiliate 12 stations with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], including ABC affiliate WBRC-TV, which it had just agreed to buy from [[Citicasters]]. At the same time, New World agreed to buy Argyle Television, owner of NBC affiliate WVTM-TV; to resolve the conflict, WBRC-TV was sold directly to the Fox network. This deal set off a slow-motion affiliation shuffle in Birmingham as ABC sought a replacement affiliate.<ref name="Birm950920">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-foxs-hunting-cha/99837474/|date=September 20, 1995|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-fox/99837531/ A8]|first=Jed|last=Graham|title=Fox's hunting changes plans|newspaper=Birmingham Post-Herald|location=Birmingham, Alabama|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063728/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-foxs-hunting-cha/99837474/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> ABC negotiated with WBMG and was even reported to be near a deal.<ref>{{Cite news|work=Birmingham Business Journal|page=1|first=Michael|last=Tomberlin|title=ABC poised to scramble local TV affiliations|date=August 14, 1995}}</ref> Instead, Park Communications signed a long-term renewal with CBS, owing to its upcoming deal to carry [[Southeastern Conference]] college sports and the company's lengthy relationship with the network.<ref name="Birm951012">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg-42-will-stay/136778266/|date=October 12, 1995|page=B4|first=Jed|last=Graham|title=WBMG-42 will stay an affiliate of CBS|newspaper=Birmingham Post-Herald|location=Birmingham, Alabama|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063730/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-wbmg-42-will-stay/136778266/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

As a replacement, ABC persuaded the CBS affiliates in Tuscaloosa and Anniston, WCFT and WJSU, to switch affiliations. They would act as full-power satellites of a low-power station in Birmingham, [[WBMA-LD|WBMA-LP]], with a new combined news operation in Birmingham. The new station, which debuted in September 1996 under the moniker "ABC 33/40", featured veteran Alabama news personalities including WBRC's [[James Spann]] and Brenda Ladun,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joynt |first=Steve |date=July 12, 1996 |title=Spann gets hot; TV future cloudy |pages=B1–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-spann-gets-hot-t/124162320/ B2] |work=Birmingham Post-Herald |location=Birmingham, Alabama |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-spann-gets-hot-t/124162286/ |access-date=May 6, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063731/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-spann-gets-hot-t/124162286/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Joynt |first=Steve |date=December 28, 1996 |title=Year of visions, sights: The top 10 events had us cheering or groaning |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-year-of-visions/124163028/ C1], C3 |work=Birmingham Post-Herald |location=Birmingham, Alabama |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-year-of-visions/124163051/ |access-date=May 6, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063732/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-year-of-visions/124163051/ |url-status=live }}</ref> later poaching anchor Pam Huff from WVTM. The newscasts on WBMA immediately rose to third place in the Birmingham ratings, pushing channel 42 to fourth place.<ref name="Birm970808">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-switching-channel/99840537/|date=August 8, 1997|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-tv/99840519/ A9]|title=Switching channels: Changes still have television market in turmoil|newspaper=Birmingham Post-Herald|location=Birmingham, Alabama|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220063732/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald-switching-channel/99840537/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> [[Nielsen Media Research]], which measures television ratings, proceeded to announce that it would fold Tuscaloosa and Anniston into the Birmingham [[Designated Market Area]] as a result of their local stations being merged with WBMA; in addition, it would introduce meters instead of diaries to the enlarged market.<ref>{{Cite news|pages=14–15|title=Nielsen mulling expansion of market|work=Mediaweek|first=Claude|last=Brodesser|date=September 1, 1997|id={{ProQuest|213626577}} }}</ref><ref name="em121597">{{Cite magazine|title=Birmingham's WBMG-TV cleans house with news staff| first=Jon|last=Lafayette|periodical=[[Electronic Media]]|page=2|date=December 18, 1997|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1997-12-18_16_50/mode/2up?q=WBMG}}</ref>