 Logo of DZRH since 2021 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Mega Manila and surrounding areas |
| Frequency | 666kHz (C-QUAM) |
| Branding | DZRH |
| Programming | |
| Language | Filipino |
| Format | News,Public Affairs,Talk,Drama |
| Affiliations | DZRH News Television |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | MBC Media Group |
| History | |
First air date | July 15, 1939 (1939-7-15) |
Former call signs | KZRH (1939–1948) |
Former frequencies | 650 kHz (1939–1978) |
Call sign meaning | RadioHeacock[1] (former branding) |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | NTC |
| Class | A (clear frequency) |
| Power | 50,000watts |
| Repeater(s) | SeeDZRH stations |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Live Stream |
| Website | www |
DZRH (666AM) is the flagshipradio station owned and operated byMBC Media Group. The station’s studios are in the MBC Building,Star City, Vicente Sotto Street,CCP Complex,Roxas Boulevard,Pasay with transmitter along I. Marcelo Street, Brgy.Malanday,Valenzuela. The station broadcasts nationwide via relay stations across thePhilippines.[2]
Established on July 15, 1939, DZRH is the oldest privately owned radio station, and the second-oldest radio station in the Philippines afterstate-ownedDZRB.[3]
DZRH began operations asKZRH (Voice of the Philippines) on July 15, 1939, at 6:00 a.m., from the top of the H.E. Heacock Building inEscolta,Manila, with Hal Bowie as its first announcer.[4][5] It had been established byAmerican businessman Samuel "Sam" Gaches, president[4] ofH. E. Heacock Company,[6][7] one of the largest department store chains in thePacific region.[5][8] Aside from Gaches, an all-American staff was also led by Bertrand "Bert" Silen,[5] station manager; and Johnny Harris, program director; both who formerly worked at KZRM.[4]
It was the city's fourthcommercial radio station[4][5] and the company boughtCebu-basedKZRC in 1940.[7] Both were among the sixPhilippine-based stations operating prior tothe Japanese occupation.[9][a]
Beginning as the company's mouthpiece[5] in its early years, KZRH broadcastmusicalvariety shows,comedy skits, and briefnewscasts, as well asjazz andballad music. Also, a quarter-hourblocktime was given to advertisers.[5] The station was later improved with transition fromEnglish toFilipino[7] while its facilities were modernized and enlarged as itstransmitting power later increased from one to ten kilowatts.[4] KZRH eventually became the city’s leading radio station.[4]
KZRH was used by theAmericans to inform the listeners of steps to prepare for the impending Japanese invasion.[7] It was the first to break news of theJapanese attack onPearl Harbor inHonolulu,Hawaii, on December 7, 1941 (December 8 in the Philippines).[4] It also gave updates on the ongoingSecond World War inEurope reaching theFar East.[11]
Atthe outbreak of the Japanese invasion of the country during theSecond World War, the radio station was separately operated by the resistance group and bythe invading forces who later eventually took over it.[12] The station, being the only one remained and survived the war,[5] became the country's oldest existing.[8]
With the possible Japanese invasion of Manila, at the end of 1941 Gen.Douglas MacArthur, Commander of theUnited States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), ordered the destruction of radio equipment to avoid being used by the invaders.[9][12] KZRH's remaining equipment were brought toCorregidor and a makeshift station built; it resumed broadcasts on January 5, 1942 as theresistance stationVoice of Freedom.[12]
Its announcers included:Carlos P. Romulo, journalist and former general manager of the KZRM–KZRF network;Leon Ma. Guerrero andArmy Lt. Norman Reyes, both formerly with KZRM; and Army Lt. Francisco Isidoro, who acted as a translator. Guerrero and then-ambassadorSalvador P. Lopez[4] worked as writers. On the other hand, pre-war KZRHChinese technician (naturalized Filipino, postwar) Simeon Cheng, andAmerican chief engineer,United States Army Capt. Ted Ince, managed the station, with Cheng occasionally smuggling transmitter parts from Manila.[12]
The station, anchored by former KZRM announcer Reyes,[8][12] continued solo with its pro-Allied programming.[11] It reportedly broadcastMacArthur's"I shall return" message fromAustralia.[11] Its final broadcast was on April 9 via shortwave transmitter,[4] withthe"Bataan has fallen" announcement written by Lopez and its translation inTagalog by Isidoro, both announced by Reyes.[12]
Its operations ultimately ceased in May with the surrender ofAllied Forces. Ince, who was also an announcer, and Reyes were later forced by the Japanese occupiers to work forRadio Tokyo overseas, and Guerrero was sent to Japanese-seized KZRH.[12] The remaining staff were later killed, joined resistance guerrilla forces, or brought toBataan and internment camps at theUniversity of Santo Tomas andLos Baños.[5]
TheImperial Japanese Army, upon entering Manila on January 2, 1942, immediately rebuilt those what was left by KZRH. On January 14, they went on the air, keeping the call letters but with different programming.[5][12] Its power was reverted to 1 kW. Relay stations were later installed inCebu,Baguio,Davao andLegazpi.[9] The Japanese Military Administration ordered in July the prohibition of listening to broadcasts other than those from Japan and of KZRH[9] which, by year-end and throughout the remaining years of the Japanese invasion, became the only operating Philippine-based station.[12][13][b]
It was on May 25, 1942, when USAFFE commander, Lt. Gen.Jonathan Wainwright, announced thefall of Corregidor[13] and surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Forces through the station.[4]
On October 14, 1943, it was rebrandedPIAM[c] by the Imperial army,[4][12] being operated by the Department of Information through the newly-renamed Philippine Broadcasting Management Bureau,[9] and becoming a tool for theSecond Republic's propaganda.[6][7][9] It had relay stations in Cebu,Iloilo, and Davao; the first two produced their own programming.[12]
Majority ofFilipinos there were forcibly recruited by the Japanese; some were later able to continue gathering intelligence for the guerillas. Among those journalists, aside from Guerrero, were former KZND manager Vero Perfecto,Fidela Magpayo,Filipino–AmericanYay Panlilio, and (futureNational Artist)Hernando R. Ocampo.[12]
The station was used for promotion of both the Filipino and Japanese languages and cultures;[7] however, did not gain much listeners.[9] After almost three years of existence,[12] its facilities were later destroyed by the Americans prior to theliberation of the Philippines.[5]
After the liberation, Silen, upon his release, sought help from theNational Broadcasting Company inNew York,United States, for transmitters,[5] making the station the first to have a link with the company to the Far East.[4] Meanwhile, it took forty days to erect a new studio on the top floor of theInsular Life Building inPlaza Cervantes.[11] The Elizalde family, through brothers who were managing theManila Broadcasting Company—its founderManolo[11] andJoaquin Miguel, acquired KZRH[7][11] and then financed its operations.[5]
KZRH, along with what would beDZPI, its sister station since 1949,[6] had its operations revived on July 1, 1946;[5][6] and covered the July 4 inaugural ceremonies forthe new Republic and forManuel Roxas asits first president.[4][11]
In 1949, coinciding with its 10th anniversary, the station, bearing the pre-war tagline, was relaunched at 650 kHz and with 10-kW power.[4] It was the country's first to broadcast simultaneously atAM andshortwave frequencies, almost nationwide.[4][11]
Prior to the end of the decade, theInternational Telecommunication Union passed an act that changing the call signs for the Philippine stations,[5][6] replacing the first letter with "D" to avoid confusion with those from United States;[6][11] "DZ" stands forLuzon-based stations.[6] With such order adopted bythe government,[11] KZRH becameDZRH.[5][6]
In the first post-war years, DZRH initiated first local shows sponsored by Philippine Manufacturing Company,[6] which later boosted advertising,[5] one wasKuwentong Kapitbahay—the first Tagalogsoap opera.[6] The station first used live programming.[6]
The station further developed in the following decades which was the golden years of radio.Radio dramas debuted in 1949 withLina Flor'sGulong ng Palad.[5] The station held distinctions being the first to air a livequiz contest (Spell to Win) and to produce aBalagtasan program.[4] It also produced variety programs.[5]
DZRH produced some known personalities including sportscaster Willie Hernandez and commentator Rafael Yabut. Meanwhile, Magpayo became known asTiya Dely, and was with the station at the time of her death in 2008.[5]
Radio drama is one of the traditions of Philippine radio before the rise of television industry and continues until today this time on theFM band (onlyIto ang Palad Ko!; "This is my fate", one of the longest-running drama anthology series since 1973).[14]
In 1972, when then-PresidentFerdinand MarcosdeclaredMartial Law, DZRH was temporarily closed for a few months; it was reopened but only under strict government censorship.[11] It was the only other time in DZRH's history since the Second World War that the station's broadcast operations were interrupted. Upon resumption of broadcasts, DZRH (along with sister stationsDZMB andDWIZ) gained a new studio complex atNorth Bay Boulevard,Navotas andSan Francisco del Monte,Quezon City.
In November 1978, DZRH migrated from 650 kHz to the current frequency of 666 kHz due to the switch of the Philippine AMbandplans from theNARBA-mandated 10 kHz spacing to the 9 kHz rule implemented by theGeneva Frequency Plan of 1975. In the same year, DZRH launchedOperation Tulong ("Help"), a socio-civic organization that helps the people in time of need.
By late 1970s, DZRH, competing with other stations, aired eighteen radio drama programs over nine hours daily.[15]
In February 1986, the station covered the controversialsnap elections and the ensuingPeople Power Revolution that peacefully deposed President Marcos and PresidentCorazon Aquino's eventual accession.[5][11]
Following the 1986 revolution, commentators in the station rose into prominence, among themOrly Mercado,Jarius Bondoc, Alvin Capino, andKaLouie Beltran.[5]
Duringthe series of coup attempts againstthe administration ofCorazon Aquino; then news directorRey Langit played a key role in the on-air mediation with rebel soldiers.[5]
In 1988, DZRH moved from the former studio in Navotas and Quezon City to its new studio location at FJE Building, Esteban Street, Legazpi Village,Makati.
In 1989, DZRH celebrated its 50th (golden) anniversary by launching"50 Taon ng Radyo" (lit. transl. "50 Years of Radio") on July 23; ceremonies and events were held atRizal Memorial Stadium andAraneta Coliseum included parades, games, concerts, as well as outdoor and indoor fireworks displays.[16]
In 1991, radio veteranJoe Taruc joined the station, where he hostedDamdaming Bayan which is now the longest-running public affairs program, as well as a morning newscast. Aside from being a newscaster, he was also station manager, and later, Senior Vice-President until his death in September 2017.
In October 1991, DZRH once launched a contest with fifty pairs of shoes as a prize to listeners who could correctly predict the date of return offormer First LadyImelda Marcos, whose ban had been lifted bypresidentCorazon Aquino. Within three days, more than a hundred entries were personally delivered through letters; as the station also received calls, even from as far asAlaska andEngland, asking about the contest.[17]
In the 1990s, upon the initiative of MBC chairman Fred Elizalde, DZRH, through a"One Nation, One Station" initiative, expanded its coverage to 97% of the entire country[5] through satellitePalapa B4 which sending signals to twenty relay stations nationwide.[8] It has now the widest reach;[8] and held the distinction being the country's only station airing 24/7 onstereo-quality.[5]
In July 2002, DZRH, along with other MBC stations, transferred from FJE Building in Makati, to its current studios at MBC Building, Vicente Sotto Street,CCP Complex onRoxas Boulevard,Pasay.
In October 2007, DZRH once again ventured into television broadcasting with the launch of TV Natin which renamed DZRH RadyoVision in 2008 (which is not related to the now-defunct VHF TV stationDZRH-TV Channel 11), which was renamed RHTV in 2009 andDZRH News Television in 2013. It is also the first cable channel to broadcast viaFacebook Live by mirroring the live stream of DZRH News Television to theFacebook servers.
In 2009, DZRH celebrated its 70th anniversary by launching "Fiesta Sitenta" as well as the launch of its first-ever theme song commissioned for the station. In the final quarter of 2011, DZRH did changes in their programming line-up as well as the adoption of the new slogan "RH Agad!" (transl. "RH right now"). In 2012, DZRH launched its new slogan,"Ang MakabagongBayanihan" (transl. "The Modern Spirit of Volunteerism") and also includes the theme song of the station (still heard in the station IDs of the station up to this day).
DZRH celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on July 15, 2014, at theManila Hotel with the launching of the coffee-table book and the special commemorative stamp courtesy ofPhilPost.[18] In 2015, DZRH celebrated its 76th anniversary with the theme76 Taon ng Balita at Serbisyo (lit. transl. "76 years of News and Service"). In 2016, DZRH celebrated its 77th anniversary with the theme"77 Years: Serbisyong tapat sa inyo" (lit. transl. "Service Loyal to You"). In 2017, DZRH celebrated its 78th anniversary with the theme"78 taon ng Tamang Balita at Tamang Serbisyo sa Bawat Pilipino" (lit. transl. "78 Years of Right News and Right Service to Every Filipino"). In 2018, DZRH celebrated its 79th anniversary with the theme"Walong Dekada ng Tamang Pagbabalita at Tamang Paglilingkod" (lit. transl. "Eight Decades of Right News and Right Service").
In October 2018, DZRH again aired its classic top-of-the-hour ID (which was launched on January 1, 1999, featuring the voice of Nick de Guzman) on a one-off airing basis, although the 2012"Ang Makabagong Bayanihan" station ID continues to air on a regular basis. On the same month, DZRH reused its old slogan, "DZRH: Ang Kaunaunahan sa Pilipinas" (lit. transl. "DZRH: The First in the Philippines") in preparations for the 80th anniversary of the station in 2019. The said classic top-of-the-hour ID was re-introduced and became permanent in 2022, during the 83rd anniversary of the station.
On October 2, 2019, the studios of DZRH in the MBC Building, along with its sister MBC Manila radio stations, were affected by amajor fire that originated in the nearbyStar City theme park, prompting the station to suspend regular programming.[19] In the interim, DZRH broadcasts from its backup studio in BSA Twin Towers, where the transmitters of its FM counterparts are located, where it played automated music throughout the day. Regular programming resumed the following day (October 3) at 4 amPHT, with video streaming for the station's social media accounts and simulcast nationwide satellite relay feed restored later; but the audio live streaming andDZRH News Television channel for cable, DTH and regional digital TV remained off air until November 26 only on TV. On November 11, DZRH moved its studio at Design Center of the Philippines, situated near the MBC Building across Vicente Sotto Street.
In March 2020, DZRH temporarily suspended its regular programming, especially radio dramas and DZRH News Television programs, in line with theenhanced community quarantine imposed by PresidentRodrigo Duterte due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, which replaced them with news updates; radio dramas would again return to the station after a few months of hiatus.
On November 15, 2021, DZRH, alongside sister stations, launched their new logos and its new corporate slogan,Sama-Sama Tayo, Pilipino! (lit. transl. We are all Filipinos!). On December 17, 2021, DZRH returned to the MBC Building with brand new studios for both radio and TV operations.[20]
On February 6, 2024, coinciding the renaming to MBC Media Group, DZRH received a new ident based on old 1970s ident before albeit modified and digitized.
On June 10, 2024, one of its radio reporters, Val Gonzales, was allegedly attacked by jeepney drivers associated with transportation group Manibela while covering a protest outside theLand Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City. Gonzales claimed that he was punched on the side and the drivers rushed towards him because he was reporting the truth. DZRH station manager Rudolph Steve Jularbal stated that the network will file charges against individuals engaged in the punching of their reporter. He referred to the incident as "harassment."[21][22]
As of the fourth quarter of 2022, DZRH is the most-listened-to AM radio station inMetro Manila, ranking number one among news radio stations. This data is based on a survey commissioned byKantar Media Philippines, Nielsen, andKapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.[23]
