The three stations share studios on Wright Street in west Marquette; WBKP's transmitter is located on Tolonen Hill near unincorporated Painesdale in Adams Township.

WBKP (standing for "Beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula") launched on October 30, 1996, as the market's fourth television station from facilities in the historic Calumet and Hecla Bath House.

Originally, WBKP was locally owned by the Scanlan family as sister to Traverse City's ABC affiliate WGTU (and its full-time satellite WGTQ in Sault Ste.

In January 2004, the Scanlan family sold WBKP/WBUP and WBKB to Lake Superior Community Broadcasting, a company owned by Stephen Marks of Maryland.

In September 2023, it was announced that The Marks Group would sell its Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKP, WBUP, WBKB-TV, and radio stations in Houghton and Iron River—to Morgan Murphy Media for $13.375 million.

Seeking to fill a void in a market supposedly capable of supporting two television newsrooms, WBKP initially offered local news weeknights at 6 and 11.

This move was also due in part to the continual dominance of WLUC which has always operated a much larger news department and maintained consistent viewership.

In order to cover the Keweenaw Peninsula, WBUP also operates an advertising sales office and news bureau on East Montezuma Avenue in Houghton (sharing a building with radio sister stations WOLV, WHKB, and WCCY).

Like all CW Plus stations, WBKP aired the nationally syndicated weekday morning show, The Daily Buzz, until its cancellation on April 17, 2015.