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.
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.