Television in the Philippines
Encyclopedia
Television in the Philippines was introduced in 1953
. But even before that, a number of academic experiments had been done and replicated by Filipino engineering students.
, an American engineer dubbed as the "father of Philippine television," began assembling transmitters and established the Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC) on June 13, 1946. It was named after his wife's hometown of Bolinao
, Pangasinan
. Three years later, he was the first to apply for a license in Philippine Congress to establish a television station. After a year, on June 14, 1950, his request was granted. Due to the scarcity of raw materials and strict import control since 1948, he was compelled to branch into radio broadcasting instead.
Lindenberg's attempt to put up a television station did not go to waste. Judge Antonio Quirino, the brother of President Elpidio Quirino
, had been trying to get a license from Congress that would allow him to put up a television station. The Congress, however, denied him from getting such license for the fear that he might use it as vehicles for propaganda for his brother who was then running for a second term in the Presidential elections of 1953. Because of this, he brought 70-percent share of BEC stocks, which earned him to control the franchise indirectly. He then changed the name of BEC to Alto Broadcasting System (ABS), after the names of its new owners, Aleli and Judge Antonio Quirino. James Lindenberg, was still part-owner, and had served as the general manager of the station.
Before the TV station was formally launched, it faced several obstacles. The Central Bank, for instance, refused to grant Judge Quirino dollar credit from the bank, saying that the said venture was too risky. For this reason, Judge Quirino asked help from his friend Marvin Gray, whose family is a friend of General Sarnoff, who was then the President of Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Through the intervention of Gray, Judge Quirino was able to get assistance from RCA.
Prior to the fist telecast, Judge Quirino initiated the importation of 120 television sets through the Php
60,000 loan that he received from the owner of Joe's Electric, who was, in turn, became the first to be bestowed with the right to sell television sets in the country.
Finally, on October 23, 1953, Judge Quirino marked the first official telecast in the Philippines through the launching of DZAQ-TV Channel 3
. With the help of RCA, four men underwent technical training in the United States:
The ABS studio was a makeshift barn along Florentino Torres Street in Manila. With the transmitter acquired from RCA, the telecasts were received clearly not only in Manila but also in the neighboring provinces. Except for the four engineers who was sent to the US for training, most of the personnel at ABS learned TV operations on the job.
DZAQ-TV3 started out on a four-hour a day schedule, from six to ten in the evening. Although ABS was able to round up fifty-two advertisers for the premier telecast, selling spots for regular programming had proven to be difficult since buying radio ad spots was more cost-effective for advertisers. During this time, TV sets costs less than an automobile, and TV reception depended on electrical power, which was not always available.
The programs being telecast at that time were usually borrowed films from the foreign embassies, imported old cowboy movies, and actual coverage of a variety of events. When the station ran out of presenting any new feature, stage plays were transported to television. In 1953, less than a month after the first telecast, Father James Reuter, a Jesuit with radio and television training in the United States, produced the first play on Philippine television entitled Cyrano de Bergerac
. The said three-hour long play was done live, and all the talents were students.
In the beginning, Philippine TV networks would buy the rights of airing mediocre American TV programs and serials since it was cheaper than producing local shows. In order to entice advertisers as well as to encourage increased viewership, simultaneous airing of programs on radio and television resorted to promotional gimmicks. Many popular radio shows, including, Tawag ng Tanghalan, Kuwentong Kutsero, and Student Canteen
, started their life on TV this way.
In 1955, Radiowealth began manufacturing television sets. Other local outfits such as, Carlsound and Rehco, also started setting up assembly plants. In 1958, the high taxes previously imposed on canned television shows were removed, which made US shows less expensive than live shows. In April of the same year, another TV network opened, and this was the Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN), established as a radio medium in 1956 by businessmen Eugenio
and Fernando Lopez
. In the same year, CBN brought ABS from Judge Quirino, and merged the two companies under the name Bolinao Electronics Corporation, which was incidentally the former name of ABS.
With the establishment of DZXL-TV Channel 9 on April 19, 1958, the Lopez brothers controlled both television channels nationwide.
Among the top rated programs in the 1960s were The Nida-Nestor Show, Buhay Artista, and Pancho Loves Tita. Another local show that has had a prevailing top rating is Tawag ng Tanghalan, the amateur singing contest hosted by Lopito and Patsy.
On February 1, 1967, the corporate name of BEC was changed to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. Also, during this year, Radiowealth pioneered in the production of 19-, 21- and 25-inch models of color TV sets. Moreover, it was favored by advertisers like Procter and Gamble, Philippine Refining Company, Colgate-Palmolive
, Del Rosario Brothers, and Caltex Philippines.
In 1969, Filipinos witnessed the live television coverage of the Apollo 11
historic landing. It was the first telecast via satellite in the country and the first in color. Channels 5, 7 and 13 tied up for the said project. In the same year, RPN-9 introduced the longest running and consistently rating sitcom, John En Marsha
and the First Family of Philippine television, the Puruntongs. These sitcoms were created by Ading Fernando, and it starred Dolphy
and Nida Blanca
.
By the late 1960s, news and public affairs programs were pioneered by Channels 2 and 5. The Big News
on ABC Channel 5 and The World Tonight
on ABS-CBN Channel 2 were the first news programs on Philippine television.
By 1971, the Philippines, through Radiowealth, had become the third country in the world to manufacture color TV sets.
DWGT-TV Channel 4
, the government channel, was seized by the Office of Press Secretary Francisco Tatad
and the National Media Production Center of Gregorio Cendaña. DZXL-TV Channel 9 and DZTV-TV Channel 13
were eventually controlled by the then Ambassador Roberto Benedicto, and Bob Stewart’s DZBB-TV Channel 7
was later allowed to operate with limited three-month permits. ABS-CBN was seized from the Lopez family, and Eugenio Lopez Jr., then president of ABS-CBN, was imprisoned. By the latter part of 1973, GMA Network
was sold to Felipe Gozon the family lawyer of Stewart because foreigners are not allowed to own businesses in the Philippines, who later changed the name from RBS to Global Media Arts
, or simply GMA Network
, popularly known as GMA-7.
When DZXL-TV Channel 9 of CBN was sold to Roberto Benedicto, he changed the name from CBN to Kanlaon Broadcasting System
(KBS). However, when a fire destroyed the KBS television studios in Pasay, Benedicto's people took control of the ABS-CBN studios in Bohol Avenue, Quezon City. ABS-CBN, as a network, ceased operations for 14 years, and its studios became the broadcasting venues of new channels, MBS-4
. A year later, Salvador "Buddy" Tan, general manager of KBS, reopened Channel 2 as the Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation
.
The two Benedicto stations namely, KBS Channel 9 and BBC Channel 2, served as vehicles of propaganda for the government. In 1980, Channels 2, 9 and 13 moved to the newly-built Broadcast City in Diliman, Quezon City. In the same year, Gregorio Cendaña was named Minister of Information. DWGT-TV Channel 4 became known as Maharlika Broadcasting System
.
Initially, the Department of Public Information, reviewed everything that was to be aired on radio and TV set up the rules and regulations. Through other government agencies, policies on ownership, allocation of frequencies, station distribution, and program standards were promulgated. In 1973, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas was created, and this agency allowed for self-regulation. A year later, a presidential decree created the Broadcast Media Council.
The 1974 Miss Universe
Pageant, the 1975 Muhammad Ali
-Joe Frazier
heavyweight fight, the 1981 visit of Pope John Paul II
was shown worldwide, and it made a false impression that everything was doing well in the country. When Benigno Aquino
was assassinated in 1983, it was a small item on television news. During his historic funeral procession, GMA-7 was allowed by only ten seconds of airtime coverage.
In 1984, Imee Marcos
, daughter of Ferdinand Marcos
, tried to take over GMA-7 but she was successfully prevented by GMA executives, Menardo Jimenez and Felipe Gozon
. Disappointed with the Marcos dictatorship, Stewart left the Philippines.
MBS Channel 4 later became PTV 4 (People's Television) after the EDSA Revolution, and in 2001, it is now known as the National Broadcasting Network
(NBN).
ABC returns to broadcast in 1992. In 2008, ABC renamed as TV5.
IBC later became a 100% government owned station in the 1990s by virtue of a compromise agreement between PCGG and Roberto Benedicto, management and marketing were returned to the IBC Board of Directors.
In 1998, ZOE TV
was finally launched on channel 11. Currently known as QTV and on February 2011, QTV renamed as GMA News TV.
During the middle 1990s to 2000s, many UHF stations were launched such as , SBN 21
, Studio 23
, Net 25, Citynet 27
, RJTV 29
, CTV 31
, UNTV 37, AksyonTV
41 among others.
, Global Destiny Cable
and Cablelink
are the primary cable operators. SkyCable also has provincial affiliates, which carry the former's brand and programming may vary from the one provided in Metro Manila.
In 2006, digital cable was launched. This not only made additional channels possible but also pre-paid cable service. Both companies also offer cable internet where cable television is bundled either free or at a discount.
Besides cable, direct-to-home satellite is offered through Dream Satellite TV
, Cignal
and G-Sat
and has pre-paid variants as well.
Mobile and internet TV may also offered such as WatchPad, MyGMA, TFC Now, Sandbox, myTV and iWanTV.
announced that the country will use the Japanese ISDB
.
Timeline of the introduction of television in countries
This is a list of when the first publicly announced television broadcasts occurred in the mentioned countries. Non-public field tests and closed circuit demonstrations are not included....
. But even before that, a number of academic experiments had been done and replicated by Filipino engineering students.
Origins
James LindenbergJames Lindenberg
James Lindenberg was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He moved to the Philippines in the 1940s. He is credited for his founding of Bolinao Electronics Corporation , the precursor of ABS-CBN Corporation. He is also dubbed as "The Father of Philippine Television".-See also:*ABS-CBN Broadcasting...
, an American engineer dubbed as the "father of Philippine television," began assembling transmitters and established the Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC) on June 13, 1946. It was named after his wife's hometown of Bolinao
Bolinao
Bolinao or Bolinaon may refer to:*Bolinao, Pangasinan*Bolinao language*The Philippine Anchovy , which is known in Cebuano as bolinao....
, Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
. Three years later, he was the first to apply for a license in Philippine Congress to establish a television station. After a year, on June 14, 1950, his request was granted. Due to the scarcity of raw materials and strict import control since 1948, he was compelled to branch into radio broadcasting instead.
Lindenberg's attempt to put up a television station did not go to waste. Judge Antonio Quirino, the brother of President Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
, had been trying to get a license from Congress that would allow him to put up a television station. The Congress, however, denied him from getting such license for the fear that he might use it as vehicles for propaganda for his brother who was then running for a second term in the Presidential elections of 1953. Because of this, he brought 70-percent share of BEC stocks, which earned him to control the franchise indirectly. He then changed the name of BEC to Alto Broadcasting System (ABS), after the names of its new owners, Aleli and Judge Antonio Quirino. James Lindenberg, was still part-owner, and had served as the general manager of the station.
Before the TV station was formally launched, it faced several obstacles. The Central Bank, for instance, refused to grant Judge Quirino dollar credit from the bank, saying that the said venture was too risky. For this reason, Judge Quirino asked help from his friend Marvin Gray, whose family is a friend of General Sarnoff, who was then the President of Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Through the intervention of Gray, Judge Quirino was able to get assistance from RCA.
Prior to the fist telecast, Judge Quirino initiated the importation of 120 television sets through the Php
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
60,000 loan that he received from the owner of Joe's Electric, who was, in turn, became the first to be bestowed with the right to sell television sets in the country.
Finally, on October 23, 1953, Judge Quirino marked the first official telecast in the Philippines through the launching of DZAQ-TV Channel 3
DWWX-TV
DWWX-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of Philippine television network ABS-CBN Corporation. Its studios and transmitter are located at the ABS-CBN Broadcast Center at Sgt...
. With the help of RCA, four men underwent technical training in the United States:
- Arcadio "Cady" Carandang, who was in charge of setting up a TV service company;
- Romualdo "Romy" Carballo, who oversaw the transmission aspect;
- Harry "Slim" Chaney, who acted as a spark plug for the whole operation, and
- Jose "Joe" Navarro, who learned filming techniques in television.
The ABS studio was a makeshift barn along Florentino Torres Street in Manila. With the transmitter acquired from RCA, the telecasts were received clearly not only in Manila but also in the neighboring provinces. Except for the four engineers who was sent to the US for training, most of the personnel at ABS learned TV operations on the job.
DZAQ-TV3 started out on a four-hour a day schedule, from six to ten in the evening. Although ABS was able to round up fifty-two advertisers for the premier telecast, selling spots for regular programming had proven to be difficult since buying radio ad spots was more cost-effective for advertisers. During this time, TV sets costs less than an automobile, and TV reception depended on electrical power, which was not always available.
The programs being telecast at that time were usually borrowed films from the foreign embassies, imported old cowboy movies, and actual coverage of a variety of events. When the station ran out of presenting any new feature, stage plays were transported to television. In 1953, less than a month after the first telecast, Father James Reuter, a Jesuit with radio and television training in the United States, produced the first play on Philippine television entitled Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
. The said three-hour long play was done live, and all the talents were students.
In the beginning, Philippine TV networks would buy the rights of airing mediocre American TV programs and serials since it was cheaper than producing local shows. In order to entice advertisers as well as to encourage increased viewership, simultaneous airing of programs on radio and television resorted to promotional gimmicks. Many popular radio shows, including, Tawag ng Tanghalan, Kuwentong Kutsero, and Student Canteen
Student Canteen
Student Canteen is the first and original noontime show on Philippine television which ran for 30 years in different decades. The show ran in different networks from 1958 to 1972, 1975 to 1986 and 1989-1990.-The ABS-CBN years:...
, started their life on TV this way.
In 1955, Radiowealth began manufacturing television sets. Other local outfits such as, Carlsound and Rehco, also started setting up assembly plants. In 1958, the high taxes previously imposed on canned television shows were removed, which made US shows less expensive than live shows. In April of the same year, another TV network opened, and this was the Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN), established as a radio medium in 1956 by businessmen Eugenio
Eugenio Lopez
-Philippines:*Eugenio Lopez, Sr., original owner of the Manila Chronicle and founder of Chronicle Broadcasting Network, see DWWX-TV*Eugenio Lopez, Jr., former CEO and president of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation...
and Fernando Lopez
Fernando Lopez
Fernando López,Sr. was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López Family of Iloilo, Fernando López served as Vice President for three terms, under President Elpidio Quirino for the Liberals and Ferdinand Marcos for the Nacionalistas.-Early life and career:López was born on April 13,...
. In the same year, CBN brought ABS from Judge Quirino, and merged the two companies under the name Bolinao Electronics Corporation, which was incidentally the former name of ABS.
With the establishment of DZXL-TV Channel 9 on April 19, 1958, the Lopez brothers controlled both television channels nationwide.
Rising popularity
At the turn of the next decade, TV sets became the most sellable appliance in the urban areas. Also within this period, other VHF TV stations opened. These include the following:- DZBB-TV 7DZBB-TVDZBB-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of Philippine television network GMA Network, Inc. Its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, at the corner of Timog Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City...
, established on October 29, 1961 by the Republic Broadcasting System (RBS), owned by Robert StewartRobert "Uncle Bob" StewartRobert La Rue Stewart , popularly known as "Uncle Bob", was an American entrepreneur, TV personality, radio and TV producer in the Philippines. He was the founding father of Republic Broadcasting System in the country....
. - DZFM-TV, in 1961, by the Philippine government, now defunct.
- DZTM-TV 5DWET-TVDWET-TV, channel 5, is the flagship station of Philippine television network Associated Broadcasting Company. Its studios are located at TV5 Media Center Sheridan Mandaluyong and the transmitter are located at 762 Quirino Highway San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City.-See also:* Associated...
, established in 1962 by the Associated Broadcasting CorporationAssociated Broadcasting CompanyThe Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal...
(ABC), owned by the Roces family, the publisher of The Manila Times. - DZKB-TV 9DZKB-TVDZKB-TV, channel 9, is the flagship station of Philippine television network Radio Philippines Network. Its studios are located at Broadcast City, Old Balara, Capitol Hills, Diliman, Quezon City, with its transmitter situated along Panay Avenue, Quezon City....
, established in 1969, owned by Radio Philippines NetworkRadio Philippines NetworkRadio Philippines Network, Inc. is a broadcast television network in the Philippines co-owned by the Government Communications Group, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Far East Managers and Investors Inc., and private sectors. This station studios are located at Broadcast City, Old Balara, Capitol...
(RPN), state-owned. - DWGT-TV 4DWGT-TVDWGT-TV, channel 4, is the flagship station of Philippine television network People's Television Network. Its studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.-History:...
, established in 1974, owned by the Government TelevisionNational Broadcasting NetworkPeople's Television is the flagship government television network owned by the Philippine Government through People's Television Network, Inc. . Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City .-History:The country's government...
(GTV), state owned. - DZTV-TV 13DZTV-TVDZTV-TV, channel 13, is the flagship station of Philippine television network Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. Its studios are located at Broadcast City, Capitol Hills, Old Balara, Diliman, Quezon City with transmitters located at the Coca-Cola Plant, Roosevelt Ave., San Francisco del...
in 1977, run by Inter-island Broadcasting CorporationIntercontinental Broadcasting CorporationIntercontinental Broadcasting Corporation is a Philippine VHF television network of the Government Communications Group headed by the Press Secretary. Its studios are located at Broadcast City, Old Balara, Capitol Hills, Diliman, Quezon City and its transmitter is located at the Coca Cola plant,...
(IBC), owned by Andres Soriano, now state owned. - DZRH-TV 11DZRH-TVDZRH-TV was a VHF station of Philippine television network Manila Broadcasting Company aired from 1960 to 1972, having relay stations in 6 key cities in the Philippines. Its studios were located at Insular Life Building, Plaza Cervantes, Binondo, Manila. It was one of the TV stations were shut down...
of Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC), owned by Manuel Elizalde.
Among the top rated programs in the 1960s were The Nida-Nestor Show, Buhay Artista, and Pancho Loves Tita. Another local show that has had a prevailing top rating is Tawag ng Tanghalan, the amateur singing contest hosted by Lopito and Patsy.
On February 1, 1967, the corporate name of BEC was changed to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. Also, during this year, Radiowealth pioneered in the production of 19-, 21- and 25-inch models of color TV sets. Moreover, it was favored by advertisers like Procter and Gamble, Philippine Refining Company, Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
, Del Rosario Brothers, and Caltex Philippines.
In 1969, Filipinos witnessed the live television coverage of the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
historic landing. It was the first telecast via satellite in the country and the first in color. Channels 5, 7 and 13 tied up for the said project. In the same year, RPN-9 introduced the longest running and consistently rating sitcom, John En Marsha
John En Marsha
John En Marsha was the longest-running and most watched prime time comedy sitcom in the Philippines during the 1970s and 1980s. Created by Ading Fernando, it aired on RPN and starred Dolphy, the late Nida Blanca, Dely Atay-Atayan and Maricel Soriano. The show ran from 1973 to 1990...
and the First Family of Philippine television, the Puruntongs. These sitcoms were created by Ading Fernando, and it starred Dolphy
Dolphy
Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr. , known by his screen name Dolphy, is a Filipino comedian-actor in the Philippines. He has appeared in a number of works on stage, radio, television and movies.-Biography:Dolphy was born on P. Herrera St...
and Nida Blanca
Nida Blanca
Dorothy Acueza Jones, popularly known by her stage name Nida Blanca, was a Filipina actress. She starred in over 163 movies and 14 television shows and received over 16 awards for movies and six awards for television during her 50-year film career...
.
By the late 1960s, news and public affairs programs were pioneered by Channels 2 and 5. The Big News
Big News
Big News is the first ever newscast on Philippine television. It was the primetime news broadcast of Associated Broadcasting Company in the Philippines. It was anchored by Cheri Mercado and Amelyn Veloso. The show was originally first aired in 1962, and went off the air in 1972 due to martial law,...
on ABC Channel 5 and The World Tonight
The World Tonight (ABS-CBN)
The World Tonight is an English-language newscast of ABS-CBN. It is anchored by Angelo Castro, Jr. And Tina Monzon-Palma on weekdays, and by Gigi Grande on Saturdays and Ron Cruz on Sundays.-Airing history:...
on ABS-CBN Channel 2 were the first news programs on Philippine television.
By 1971, the Philippines, through Radiowealth, had become the third country in the world to manufacture color TV sets.
Marcos era and martial law
When the Philippines was placed under martial rule, Marcos ordered the take over of media firms. Government troops entered radio and television stations, and they were placed under military control. All media outlets that were critical of the Marcos administration were padlocked and sequestered.DWGT-TV Channel 4
National Broadcasting Network
People's Television is the flagship government television network owned by the Philippine Government through People's Television Network, Inc. . Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City .-History:The country's government...
, the government channel, was seized by the Office of Press Secretary Francisco Tatad
Francisco Tatad
Francisco “Kit” Tatad is a political figure in the Philippines.-Journalist:Tatad practiced journalism as a wire service reporter for the Agence France-Presse...
and the National Media Production Center of Gregorio Cendaña. DZXL-TV Channel 9 and DZTV-TV Channel 13
DZTV-TV
DZTV-TV, channel 13, is the flagship station of Philippine television network Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. Its studios are located at Broadcast City, Capitol Hills, Old Balara, Diliman, Quezon City with transmitters located at the Coca-Cola Plant, Roosevelt Ave., San Francisco del...
were eventually controlled by the then Ambassador Roberto Benedicto, and Bob Stewart’s DZBB-TV Channel 7
DZBB-TV
DZBB-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of Philippine television network GMA Network, Inc. Its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, at the corner of Timog Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City...
was later allowed to operate with limited three-month permits. ABS-CBN was seized from the Lopez family, and Eugenio Lopez Jr., then president of ABS-CBN, was imprisoned. By the latter part of 1973, GMA Network
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
was sold to Felipe Gozon the family lawyer of Stewart because foreigners are not allowed to own businesses in the Philippines, who later changed the name from RBS to Global Media Arts
DZBB-TV
DZBB-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of Philippine television network GMA Network, Inc. Its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, at the corner of Timog Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City...
, or simply GMA Network
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
, popularly known as GMA-7.
When DZXL-TV Channel 9 of CBN was sold to Roberto Benedicto, he changed the name from CBN to Kanlaon Broadcasting System
DZKB-TV
DZKB-TV, channel 9, is the flagship station of Philippine television network Radio Philippines Network. Its studios are located at Broadcast City, Old Balara, Capitol Hills, Diliman, Quezon City, with its transmitter situated along Panay Avenue, Quezon City....
(KBS). However, when a fire destroyed the KBS television studios in Pasay, Benedicto's people took control of the ABS-CBN studios in Bohol Avenue, Quezon City. ABS-CBN, as a network, ceased operations for 14 years, and its studios became the broadcasting venues of new channels, MBS-4
National Broadcasting Network
People's Television is the flagship government television network owned by the Philippine Government through People's Television Network, Inc. . Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City .-History:The country's government...
. A year later, Salvador "Buddy" Tan, general manager of KBS, reopened Channel 2 as the Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation
Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation
Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation was a Philippine television network that started operations in November 1973 and ended on February 25, 1986.-History:...
.
The two Benedicto stations namely, KBS Channel 9 and BBC Channel 2, served as vehicles of propaganda for the government. In 1980, Channels 2, 9 and 13 moved to the newly-built Broadcast City in Diliman, Quezon City. In the same year, Gregorio Cendaña was named Minister of Information. DWGT-TV Channel 4 became known as Maharlika Broadcasting System
DWGT-TV
DWGT-TV, channel 4, is the flagship station of Philippine television network People's Television Network. Its studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.-History:...
.
Initially, the Department of Public Information, reviewed everything that was to be aired on radio and TV set up the rules and regulations. Through other government agencies, policies on ownership, allocation of frequencies, station distribution, and program standards were promulgated. In 1973, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas was created, and this agency allowed for self-regulation. A year later, a presidential decree created the Broadcast Media Council.
The 1974 Miss Universe
Miss Universe 1974
Miss Universe 1974, the 23rd Miss Universe pageant, was held in Manila, Philippines on the early morning of July 21, 1974 before a live audience of an estimated 10,000 at the Folk Arts Theater and broadcast live by CBS and Radio Philippines Network . The pageant was hosted by Bob Barker and Helen...
Pageant, the 1975 Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
-Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
heavyweight fight, the 1981 visit of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
was shown worldwide, and it made a false impression that everything was doing well in the country. When Benigno Aquino
Benigno Aquino
Benigno Aquino may refer to:*Benigno Aquino, Sr. , cabinet member, senator, and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Philippines*Benigno Aquino, Jr...
was assassinated in 1983, it was a small item on television news. During his historic funeral procession, GMA-7 was allowed by only ten seconds of airtime coverage.
In 1984, Imee Marcos
Imee Marcos
Maria Imelda Josefa Romualdez Marcos , most widely known as Imee Marcos, is a Filipino politician who has been Governor of Ilocos Norte since 2010. She served three terms as Representative of the 2nd District of Ilocos Norte in the Philippine House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007...
, daughter of Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, tried to take over GMA-7 but she was successfully prevented by GMA executives, Menardo Jimenez and Felipe Gozon
Felipe Gozon
Felipe Gozon is the current chief executive and chair of GMA Network Inc., one of the largest media networks in the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, the Yale-educated Gozon is seen as the network executive who has successfully turned-around GMA from its state as the one of the leading television...
. Disappointed with the Marcos dictatorship, Stewart left the Philippines.
Restoration and expansion
In 1986, during the People Power Revolution which ironned the rule of Marcos regime, ABS-CBN was returned after BBC, RPN, and IBC were sequestered by the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG), in turn awarded BBC through an executive order, RPN and IBC turned over to Government Communications Group.MBS Channel 4 later became PTV 4 (People's Television) after the EDSA Revolution, and in 2001, it is now known as the National Broadcasting Network
National Broadcasting Network
People's Television is the flagship government television network owned by the Philippine Government through People's Television Network, Inc. . Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at Broadcast Complex, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City .-History:The country's government...
(NBN).
ABC returns to broadcast in 1992. In 2008, ABC renamed as TV5.
IBC later became a 100% government owned station in the 1990s by virtue of a compromise agreement between PCGG and Roberto Benedicto, management and marketing were returned to the IBC Board of Directors.
In 1998, ZOE TV
DZOE-TV
DZOE-TV, channel 11, is a television station in Quezon City, owned by ZOE Broadcasting Network. As part of an agreement with GMA Network, the station simulcasts GMA News TV, a national news channel...
was finally launched on channel 11. Currently known as QTV and on February 2011, QTV renamed as GMA News TV.
During the middle 1990s to 2000s, many UHF stations were launched such as , SBN 21
DWCP-TV
SBN 21 , is a television station of Southern Broadcasting Network , with main broadcast facilities at Mandaluyong City. became the first local UHF TV station in Metro Manila in May, 1992 also known as World TV 21.-History:...
, Studio 23
Studio 23
Studio 23 is a Filipino television network owned by the ABS-CBN Corporation. The network is named for its flagship station in Metro Manila, DWAC-TV, which is carried on UHF channel 23...
, Net 25, Citynet 27
DWDB-TV
DWDB-TV channel 27 was a television station in Metro Manila, owned and operated by the GMA Network, Inc. Originally an independent station, DWDB was the first UHF TV station operated by a major radio-television network...
, RJTV 29
DZRJ-TV
RJTV 29 is a UHF, free to air television channel, owned and operated by Rajah Broadcasting Network, Inc. owned by Ramon "RJ" Jacinto. RJTV 29 broadcast in the greater Metro Manila area, and is on a ‘must carry basis’ on cable service providers. This station studios are located at Ventures I Bldg.,...
, CTV 31
DWKC-TV
DWKC-TV channel 31, is a television station of Radio Mindanao Network in the Philippines. Its Studios are located at the 4th Floor, Guadalupe Commercial Complex, EDSA Guadalupe, Makati City, while the transmitter is now located at Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, province of Rizal...
, UNTV 37, AksyonTV
AksyonTV
AksyonTV is a 24-hour non-stop news and sports-related channel in the Philippines. Owned and operated by Associated Broadcasting Company, it occupies the frequency previously used by MTV Philippines, a subsidiary of Nation Broadcasting Corporation...
41 among others.
Pay television
In Metro Manila, SkyCableSkyCable
SkyCable is a direct-to-home cable TV subscription service and the largest cable company in the Philippines. It is established by the Lopez and Central CATV group of companies, and one of ABS-CBN Corporation subsidiaries. In January 1990, SkyCable was founded and started its CATV operation on...
, Global Destiny Cable
Global Destiny Cable
Global Destiny Cable is a direct-to-home cable TV subscription service. Global Destiny Cable is the 2nd largest cable TV company in the Philippines.- History :...
and Cablelink
Cablelink
Cablelink is a subscription-based cable antenna television system operator and broadband Internet service provider in the Philippines, commenced its CATV operation in 1995. It is owned and operated by Cable Link and Holdings Corporation...
are the primary cable operators. SkyCable also has provincial affiliates, which carry the former's brand and programming may vary from the one provided in Metro Manila.
In 2006, digital cable was launched. This not only made additional channels possible but also pre-paid cable service. Both companies also offer cable internet where cable television is bundled either free or at a discount.
Besides cable, direct-to-home satellite is offered through Dream Satellite TV
Dream Satellite TV
Dream Satellite TV is the first all-digital Direct-To-Home television broadcasting service via satellite in the Philippines.Broadcasting from the Dream Broadcast Center located at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga...
, Cignal
Cignal Digital TV
Cignal Digital TV is a subscription-based Direct-To-Home satellite television service provider in the Philippines. Cignal is owned by MediaScape, a wholly owned subsidiary of the MediaQuest Holdings, Inc...
and G-Sat
G Sat
G Sat is a subscription-based Direct-To-Home satellite television service commercially available in the Philippines...
and has pre-paid variants as well.
Mobile and internet TV may also offered such as WatchPad, MyGMA, TFC Now, Sandbox, myTV and iWanTV.
Digital television
The National Telecommunications Commission of the PhilippinesNational Telecommunications Commission (Philippines)
The Philippines' National Telecommunications Commission , abbreviated as NTC, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Commission on Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over all telecommunications services throughout the...
announced that the country will use the Japanese ISDB
ISDB
Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting is a Japanese standard for digital television and digital radio used by the country's radio and television stations. ISDB replaced the previously used MUSE "Hi-vision" analogue HDTV system...
.
See also
- Global Destiny CableGlobal Destiny CableGlobal Destiny Cable is a direct-to-home cable TV subscription service. Global Destiny Cable is the 2nd largest cable TV company in the Philippines.- History :...
- List of Philippine television shows
- SkyCableSkyCableSkyCable is a direct-to-home cable TV subscription service and the largest cable company in the Philippines. It is established by the Lopez and Central CATV group of companies, and one of ABS-CBN Corporation subsidiaries. In January 1990, SkyCable was founded and started its CATV operation on...
- Digital television in the PhilippinesDigital television in the PhilippinesThe digital television broadcast transition in the Philippines also known locally, the Digital Terrestrial Television was the switchover from analog signals to digital transmission of free-to-air television programs...
- ISDBISDBIntegrated Services Digital Broadcasting is a Japanese standard for digital television and digital radio used by the country's radio and television stations. ISDB replaced the previously used MUSE "Hi-vision" analogue HDTV system...