WSM Radio and TV would be sold to separate owners on November 3, 1981; WSM-TV's new owner, the Gillett Broadcasting Company changed the station's call sign to WSMV on that day. The "-TV" suffix was added to the call letters in July 1982 (though it was not used on air until 1995). The multi-colored "4" from the last years as WSM-TV was retained, albeit with some slight changes to the colors.