in 1993, wpbf was sold to paxson communications (now ion media networks), which at the time owned several fm radio stations as well as a few abc and cbs affiliates. in 1997, paxson sold their radio stations and network affiliates (including wpbf) in order to finance the acquisition of stations for pax tv (now ion television), with wpbf going to the hearst corporation (paxson would acquire the inactive license for wpxp-tv (channel 67) shortly thereafter as their pax station for west palm beach). as soon as the transaction was finalized, hearst handed over control of wpbf to its majority-owned subsidiary, hearst television (formerly hearst-argyle television).