However, the station, which did not have a digital signal, subsequently changed its plans and chose to completely replace Azteca América with The CW, citing better marketing potential.

Mike Angelos, vice president of corporate communications for Pappas Telecasting, stated that while the Yakima Valley has a 40 percent Hispanic population, the numbers were not high enough to reach the level needed for Azteca América.

[5] KCWK was one of two Pappas stations required to both end analog broadcasting and install new equipment to begin digital transmission (a flash-cut) on the 2009 DTV deadline.

On January 16, 2009, it was announced that several Pappas stations, including the license for KCWK, would be sold to New World TV Group, after the sale received United States bankruptcy court approval.

[6] That February, Fisher Communications announced that their CBS affiliates KIMA-TV and KEPR-TV would each launch CW subchannels on March 31, 2009.