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Radio broadcasting in the Philippines existed since the 1920s, and has a strong following. Estimates on the number or radio stations range from 1,200 to 1,500.[1]
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Radio communications in the Philippines is regulated by theNational Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which licenses broadcasters and regulates broadcasting. Broadcasters also require a 25-yearcongressional franchise to operate stations and transmitters, which dates from the American colonial era under Act No. 3846 (Radio Control Act).
Over-the-air radio broadcasting in the Philippines mostly belongs to theAM andFM bands. The AM broadcast band in the Philippines is on 531–1701 kHz with 9 kHz spacing (530–1700 kHz with 10 kHz spacing from the American colonial era and post-independence up to1978), and is predominantly used for news and public service broadcasting. The FM band is the most commonly used broadcast band, with most music radio stations in the Philippines broadcasting in that band.Shortwave broadcasting is primarily used for state-owned or religious broadcasts targeted overseas.Internet radio also exists, mostly carrying live digital feeds of over-the-air stations as well as Internet-only stations, primarily marketed toward niche audiences andoverseas Filipinos. The Philippines has not adopted a standard fordigital radio, but several stations especially inMega Manila have adoptedHD Radio technology to provide digital simulcasts of their analog feed or to broadcast high-definition broadcasts of sister stations. Most radio broadcasts come from commercial broadcasters such asMBC Media Group,Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) andGMA Network; the remainder are operated by state-owned broadcasters such as thePresidential Broadcasting Service (PBS), and religious broadcasters such as theCatholic Media Network (CMN) and theFar East Broadcasting Company (FEBC).
All AM and FM stations in the Philippines are assigned unique four-lettercall signs by the NTC. Call signs used for AM and FM broadcasters begin with DW, DX, DY and DZ, with DW mostly used on stations inLuzon, DX inMindanao and DY inVisayas (as well as parts ofMasbate,Palawan andPangasinan). During the American colonial era from 1920 to 1940, all Philippine stations were assigned call signs beginning with KZ; the present assignment was adopted post-independence with Philippine stations assigned the DU-DZITU prefix. Letters used on call signs are usually chosen to refer to the station's owner, location or slogan. While many AM stations still use their call signs as primary identification (e.g.DZBB,DWPM,DZRH,DWIZ), most others choose to use easily recognizable brands and slogans to identify themselves. Call signs are not usually mentioned in regularstation identification, but are mentioned during a station'ssign-on and sign-off sequence.
Radio format terminology used in the Philippines usually follows North American nomenclature. AM stations mostly broadcast innews,talk,public service,community radio andreligious formats. FM stations predominantly broadcast music, usually inadult contemporary (AC),contemporary hit radio (top 40/CHR) andclassic hits, but the FM band has also seen use by major news/talk and community radio networks, notablyMBC'sRadyo Natin,Brigada Mass Media Corporation's Brigada News FM,TV5's True FM,Radyo Bandera, Y2H Broadcasting Network'sXFM andAliw Broadcasting Corporation's DWIZ News FM (in regional areas).
One notable Philippine radio format ismasa (mass-based) or "contemporarymiddle-of-the-road (MOR)", a variation of thesoft adult contemporary format withfull-service radio elements and mostly broadcasts inTagalog. It was introduced in the late 1990s during theJoseph Estrada administration and is associated with national networks and brands such asLove Radio andYes FM by the MBC Media Group, iFM byRadio Mindanao Network, Star FM byBombo Radyo Philippines, Brigada News FM ofBrigada Mass Media Corporation,99.5 XFM Manila ofY2H Broadcasting Network and Spirit FM by theCatholic Media Network;DWLS, the flagship FM radio station owned byGMA Network through its subsidiary RGMA Network, previously aired under The Giant WLS FM and later Campus Radio WLS FM banners with a mostly English-language Top 40 format, but switched to themasa format in a bid to appeal to a wider audience. The FM-based news/talk networks Brigada News FM and Radyo Bandera, as well as the community radio network Radyo Natin also carriesmasa-formatted music programming during off-peak hours when not broadcasting news and talk programming.
Masa- or contemporary MOR-formatted stations core music programming is a mix of both Filipino (OPM) and foreign contemporary and classicadult contemporary music from the 1970s to present, with the addition of variety popular music played on blocktime programs at certain days and time periods (e.g. dance music, rock and top 40 on morning and afternoon drive times, andoldies and classic hits on Sundays). Such stations usually have livetalk, call-ins anddrama programming, usually in Tagalog or regional languages.
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Radio in the Philippines started in June 1922 with the establishment ofKZKZ (AM) inManila,Philippines by Henry Herman Sr., owner of the Electrical Supply Company in Manila. Henry Herman was an American and a former soldier who came to the Philippines to fight in thePhilippine–American War.[2] He stayed in the Philippines after he was discharged.[2]
This was not the first test however. Archives suggest that in 1922, an American woman named Mrs. Redgrave used a five-watt transmitter for a test broadcast from Nichols Field (nowVillamor Airbase).[3][4] This test is possibly the first radio broadcast in Asia.[4]
Henry Herman's station originally broadcast using a 5-watt transmitter. In 1924, it boosted its power to 100 watts. On October 4, 1924, Henry Herman transferred KZKZ's ownership to theRadio Corporation of the Philippines (RCP), which he himself organized.[5][4] In 1926 the company began to work on constructing two of the largest radio stations in Asia with the idea of maintaining direct Manila-San Francisco service.[6][7]
In 1929, RCP launched KZRC in Cebu broadcasting with a 100-watt transmitter, but was later sold to store owner Isaac Beck. It is nowDYRC owned by theManila Broadcasting Company.[4]
Early on, all radio programs were in English.[4] This was the American colonial era in the Philippines. Most shows resembled American shows, even copying sponsorship.[4]
Radio was unregulated until 1931 when the Radio Control Board was established under theInsular Government.[4]
Upon the declaration of martial law in 1972, thedictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos shut down and took over radio stations and other media organizations. Only media outlets owned by cronies were allowed to operate, such asKanlaon Broadcasting System owned byMarcos cronyRoberto Benedicto. Other media outlets were later allowed to operate under heavy censorship.[8] The emergence of alternative media outlets would eventually play a role in the downfall of the dictatorship during the 1986People Power Revolution.[9][10]
The current oldest continuously operating radio station isDZRB-AM.[11] Another old station would beDZRH, started as KZRH.
Radio was also instrumental in the development ofFilipino pop music with the government and broadcaster associations instituting local content quotas on radio from the 1970s. In 1973, Filipino AM radio stations were required to play at least 50% Filipino music, includingcover versions of foreign songs by Filipino artists.[12] By 1977, theKapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) required stations to play one Filipino song every hour.[13]
The Philippine Broadcast Code was issued by theKapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) in 2007, which sets standards of performance and ethical conduct for the broadcast of radio and television stations for KBP member broadcasters and organizations.[14]
Acts of violence against radio commentators and other members of the media are monitored by human rights organizations and media watchdogs, such as theCenter for Media Freedom and Responsibility[15] and theNational Union of Journalists of the Philippines.[16]
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