in 1975. At the same time WUAB's fortunes rose, Kaiser Broadcasting began instituting cutbacks at both WKBF-TV and their station group, including the groupwide elimination of local newscasts on November 12, 1970. All but one of Kaiser's stations failed to turn a profit after three years of investment, raising industry concerns over the viability of UHF stations. WUAB, however, became not only the Cleveland market's leading UHF independent by 1971, but the second-highest rated UHF station in the country behind Boston's WSBK-TV. Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Crusaders telecasts were added in 1972, but WUAB declined to renew the Cavaliers contract in 1975 over increasing costs. Kaiser announced a pending shutdown of WKBF-TV on April 8, 1975, after agreeing to sell WKBF's technical and programming assets to United Artists in exchange for a 36 percent equity stake in WUAB. WKBF-TV operated at a loss throughout the station's entire existence of , with Kaiser officials admitting the market could not support more than one UHF independent. In the days prior to the announcement, both WUAB and WKBF-TV management acknowledged negotiations over an asset disposition had been ongoing for "a couple of years". During a farewell on-air statement, WKBF-TV general manager Alan B. Bennett stated that the sign-on of WUAB impeded consumer demand, in turn placing Kaiser in financial jeopardy, "... and that only one successful (station) must merge." WUAB not only acquired the rights to much of WKBF-TV's programming, but replaced the station in several cable systems outside of the market, including Zanesville and Dover/New Philadelphia. The WKBF-TV asset sale came at the same time as a possible dial position move for WUAB. After a construction permit for channel 19, in place since 1968, was sold to Joseph T. Zingale—a former co-owner of WIXY and with ownership interests in multiple area professional sports teams—United Artists protested the sale. Despite meeting FCC approval, Zingale rescinded the purchase in early 1974 due to a pricing dispute. United Artists then offered to purchase the permit in January 1975 with the intent of moving WUAB to channel 19, but Zingale filed a protest against the sale after renewed interest in it. An FCC review board revoked the channel 19 permit in April 1976 after declining to extend the construction deadline. Gaylord Broadcasting years Citing a decision to leave broadcasting, United Artists sold WUAB to the Gaylord Broadcasting Company for $10.5 million (equivalent to $ in )