wpbf was originally planned to launch as an independent station. a series of events in the miami market to the south from the 1987 sale of wtvj to nbc would lead to a much different programming direction for the station. in mid-1988, cbs (which would be evicted from its longtime affiliation with wtvj at the start of 1989 due to its sale to nbc) bought fox affiliate wcix (now wfor-tv). that station only provided a grade b ("rimshot") signal to fort lauderdale and broward county because its transmitter was located farther south than the other miami stations, in homestead.