At one point in 1974, WIIL-TV nearly ceased operations; however, it managed to survive. At the end of 1976, Alpha sold the station to Charlotte, North Carolina-based broadcaster Cy Bahakel; the station changed its call letters to WBAK-TV (taken from Bahakel's last name) on March 29, 1977. "Faith to Live By", a short daily devotional program that previously aired on WTWO, began airing each weekday morning immediately after WBAK signed on the air for the day. Despite stronger ownership, WBAK barely registered as a blip in the ratings in the market.