Perhaps they are getting ready for the failure of the CW network. They may be trying to rebuild some station recognition just in case the CW does fold. The CW is not in the best shape and could indeed fold at any time, there has been speculation on it going under, but so far CBS and WB seem committed to keeping it alive.
This is a big deal only because the WPIX moniker had a very long and rich history in the NYC market. When they picked up WB11 rather than WPIX, it was a sad day.