ðə bˈɜːmɪŋˌæm nˈuːz pˈɜːtʃɪst wˈæpi ænd ɪts ˌɛfˈɛm ænd tˈɛlᵻvˌɪʒən sˈɪstɚ stˈeɪʃənz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti θɹˈiː, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ, ðə baɪðˈɛn wˈɑːbt ɹˌiːɐfˈɪlɪˌeɪɾᵻd wɪð ˌɛnbˌiːsˈiː; ðə tˌiːvˈiː stˈeɪʃən ɐsˈuːmd ðə wˈæpi kˈɔːlz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt.
The Birmingham News purchased WAPI and its FM and television sister stations in 1953, and in 1954, the by-then WABT re-affiliated with NBC; the TV station assumed the WAPI calls in 1958.