On April 27, 2009, Dallas-based religious broadcaster Daystar Television Network bought WMAK for $2 million;[5][6] the deal was completed on July 14 of that year.

Simultaneously with the purchase, Lockwood filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to change the station's call letters to WKNX-TV.

[10] Formal consummation of the Lockwood purchase occurred on March 4, 2013, creating the Knoxville television market's first station duopoly with CW affiliate WBXX-TV.

[11] On October 1, 2015, Gray Television, owners of WVLT-TV, announced that it would acquire WBXX-TV from Lockwood, separating the station from WKNX-TV.

[14] On August 20, 2018, it was announced that Lockwood Broadcast Group would purchase WTNZ from Gray Television, as part of a series of divestures from the $3.5 billion merger of Gray Television and Raycom Media, as part of a group deal that also see Lockwood to buy WFXG in Augusta, Georgia, WPGX in Panama City, Florida, and WDFX-TV in Dothan, Alabama, and made WKNX another duopoly, this time with a Fox affiliate.