sold to Emmis Communications in 1998 for $200 million. As the station focused more on its network commitments, it chose not to renew its contract with the Orlando Magic in 1999; the games then went to WRBW (channel 65). From 2001 to 2005, the WKCF studios in Lake Mary served as a centralcasting hub for Emmis' television stations. Using Florical Automation, the company was responsible for master control operations for several Emmis owned Fox and WB affiliates in the Southeastern United States including WVUE in New Orleans, WALA-TV and WBPG (now WFNA) in Mobile, Alabama, and WFTX in Fort Myers. From WKCF's facilities, Emmis maintained broadcast capabilities during several major hurricane impacts on several of its stations including Katrina (affecting WVUE), Ivan (affecting WALA), and Charley (affecting WFTX and WKCF). The Emmis model was later discontinued as the company sold off the stations. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner announced that UPN and The WB would cease broadcasting, to be replaced by a new network that would feature some of the higher-rated programs from both networks called The CW Television Network. On March 1, Emmis officials confirmed that WKCF would become the Orlando affiliate of The CW. The station had been the obvious choice as the market's CW affiliate in any case, as network officials were on record as preferring the "strongest" stations among The WB and UPN's affiliates, and WKCF had been The WB's strongest affiliate for virtually all of the network's run. On May 8, Emmis announced the sale of WKCF to what was then known as Hearst-Argyle Television for $217.5 million. The sale was finalized on August 31. This created the third duopoly in the Orlando market joining the Cox-owned duopoly of WFTV and WRDQ, and the Fox Television Stations-owned duopoly of WOFL and WRBW. As part of the move, WKCF moved its operations to the WESH facilities in Winter Park. It may now take on the responsibility of airing NBC programs when WESH is not able to so such as in the event of extended breaking news or severe weather coverage, special programming, or other scheduling conflicts. Until October 2008, WKCF was the only Hearst-owned station whose website was not powered by Internet Broadcasting. That changed when Hearst and Internet Broadcasting created a separate page for the station within WESH's web address. On January 22, 2009, a tube