▁affili ates ▁of ▁all ▁three ▁major ▁networks ▁than ▁other ▁cities ▁of ▁its ▁size ▁because ▁the ▁surrounding ▁sub ur bs ▁and ▁rural ▁areas ▁were ▁smaller ▁than ▁the ▁city ▁itself . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁the ▁Z iff ▁Corporation ▁bought ▁R ust ▁C raft ' s ▁broadcast ing ▁assets , ▁including ▁W J KS , ▁for ▁$ 8 9 . 4 ▁million . ▁On ▁March ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁W J KS ▁and ▁W TL V ▁sw apped ▁network ▁affili ations ; ▁W TL V ▁took ▁the ▁ABC ▁affili ation ▁from ▁W J KS , ▁with ▁N BC ▁programming ▁moving ▁to ▁W J KS . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁ABC ▁was ▁the ▁highest - r ated ▁broadcast ▁television ▁network ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁while ▁N BC ▁was ▁m ired ▁in ▁last ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁ratings . ▁ ▁Media ▁General ▁acquired ▁W J KS ▁from ▁the ▁Z iff ▁Corporation ▁for ▁$ 1 8 ▁million ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁latter ▁company ' s ▁sale ▁of ▁its ▁six ▁television ▁stations ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁its ▁magazine ▁assets . ▁W J KS ▁became ▁the ▁second ▁television ▁station ▁to ▁be ▁owned ▁by ▁Media ▁General ▁( the ▁first ▁being ▁the ▁company ' s ▁flags hip ▁station ▁W FLA - TV , ▁across ▁the ▁state ▁in ▁T ampa ). ▁On ▁April ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁W TL V ▁and ▁W J KS ▁officially ▁revers ed ▁the