Manila Broadcasting Company
FormerlyMetropolitan Broadcasting Company (1946–1972)
TypePublic
PSE: MBC
IndustryMass media
FoundedJune 12, 1946 (1946-06-12)[1] (radio broadcasts)
April 11, 1962 (1962-04-11) (television broadcasts)
FounderFederico Elizalde
Joaquín Miguel Elizalde
Manuel Elizalde
HeadquartersMBC Building, Star City, Vicente Sotto St., CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard,
Pasay, Metro Manila
,
Philippines
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Fred J. Elizalde, Chairman
Ruperto Nicdao Jr., President and CEO
Juan Manuel Elizalde, Vice-President for Operations
BrandsDZRH
DZRH News Television
Love Radio
Yes The Best
Easy Rock
Aksyon Radyo
Radyo Natin
ServicesRadio and television broadcasting, Digital media
RevenueIncreasePHP1.1 billion (FY 2020)[2]
IncreasePHP168.7 million (FY 2020)[2]
DecreasePHP94.3 million (FY 2020)[2]
Total assetsIncreasePHP2.6 trillion (FY 2020)[2]
Total equityIncreasePHP1.4 trillion (FY 2020)[2]
OwnerElizalde Holdings Corporation (34.7%)
Elizalde Land, Inc. (21.6%)
Other (17.4%)
Public stock (26.3%)
Number of employees
124 (FY 2015)[3]
ParentFJE Group of Companies
Subsidiariessee list
Websitewww.manilabroadcasting.com
mbcmediagroup.com

Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) is a radio and television network in the Philippines. MBC is currently owned by the FJE Group of Companies of Fred J. Elizalde, which also operates hotels and Pasay-based amusement park Star City. Its AM flagship network, DZRH is the oldest radio station in the country while its FM flagship network, Love Radio is the top station in FM radio ratings in Metro Manila (from 2002 until 2017, and again in 2020) and several key cities.

MBC's corporate headquarters and studios are located at the MBC Building, Star City, Vicente Sotto St., CCP Complex, Pasay, Metro Manila.

MBC forms its own network group with six national brands, specifically, DZRH radio and DZRH News Television, Aksyon Radyo, Love Radio, Yes The Best, Easy Rock, and Radyo Natin; operated either directly by MBC, or through its affiliate-licensees Pacific Broadcasting Systems, Cebu Broadcasting Company, Radyo Natin Network, and Philippine Broadcasting Corporation.

DZRH News Television, which is an extension of the DZRH brand into an audio-visual platform, is carried by some 1,000 cable providers throughout the Philippine archipelago.

The current president of MBC is Ruperto Nicdao Jr.

History

The Heacock era

The origins of MBC can be traced to DZRH, which first went on air as KZRH on the morning of July 15, 1939, by the Heacock Company, a prominent department store based in Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila. Years later, it bought KZRC (now DYRC) from Isaac Beck in Cebu City. The Japanese took over the stations and KZRH became PIAM (Philippine Islands AM) for their propaganda use.

The birth of MBC and DZRH

After World War II, the Elizalde brothers (Federico "Fred", Joaquin Miguel "Mike" and Manuel "Manolo") took over KZRH and KYRC. With the help of station manager Bertrand Silen, KZRH transferred its operations to the Insular Life Building in Plaza Cervantes. In June 1946, the Elizaldes established the network under the Manila Broadcasting Company (incorporated on September 30, 1947).

KZRH returned to the airwaves on July 1, 1946. On July 4, 1946, it aired the live coverage of the Philippine independence from the United States and the inauguration of the third Philippine Republic.

In 1948, after the international telecommunications conference in the United States where the Philippines changed its first letter to "D", KZRH changed its callsign to DZRH, and has been expanded to over 30 stations nationwide. The same year, MBC launched its sister station in Manila, DZMB (thru the establishment of Cebu Broadcasting Company) and DZPI (thru Philippine Broadcasting Corporation that the Elizaldes acquired from the Soriano family).

In 1949, DZRH began airing the first radio drama, Gulong ng Palad.

Ben Aniceto began his long media career, working with DZRH, DZMB, and DZPI as a radio talent.[4]

In 1956, MBC moved to its own Radio Center along Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila. In the same year, Philippine radio gained popularity and AM radio became lucrative in what was considered as the golden years.[5]

1960s to Marcos dictatorship

When then-president Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, MBC was temporarily closed for a few months.

In 1975, MBC ventured into the FM band when its stations DZMB and other MBC music AM stations (such as DYBU in Cebu) moved to FM radio. This would become the nucleus of MBC's Love Radio Network.

The expansion of MBC

In 1985, Manolo Elizalde retired. His son, Fred J. Elizalde, became chairman and CEO.

After the People Power Revolution ended the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, MBC began to expand its FM stations (Love Radio Network) while DZRH continued to broadcast nationwide. Ruperto Nicdao, Jr. became a board member of MBC in 1988 before he became president of MBC.

In January 1992, the application of MBC and Springs Foundation's Channel 11 (DWXI-TV) to operate was denied by the National Telecommunications Commission, stating that it is "not legally, technically, and financially qualified".[6] The channel was later acquired by Eddie Villanueva's ZOE Broadcasting Network and renamed DZOE-TV in 1998.[7][8][9]

In 1994, DZRH relaunched itself as "One Nation, One Station" by launching the first nationwide satellite broadcast.

In July 2002, MBC studios were transferred from FJE Building in Makati to CCP Complex in Pasay.

MBC co-hosted the Aliwan Fiesta since 2003, in partnership with Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the cities of Manila and Pasay. Aliwan Fiesta is an annual event that gathers different cultural festivals of the Philippines in Star City in Pasay wherein contingents compete in dance parade and float competitions, as well as in a beauty pageant.

After 35 years, MBC returned to television with the launch of DZRH News Television on October 1, 2007.

Acquisitions, new networks, and changes

In 1995, MBC acquired DWKS-FM and changed its callsign to DWST as 101.1 Showbiz Tsismis. It lasts until 1998 and relaunched as Yes FM. During the 1990s, DYRC was spun off into Aksyon Radyo, established in 11 provincial AM stations.

On December 16, 1997, MBC launched Radyo Natin. Composed of 100 FM stations strategically across the nation by using state of the art satellite technology, Radyo Natin is able to reach audiences that has never been reached before by another radio station.

In January 1999, Hot FM was launched in Dagupan, Cebu City, General Santos and Zamboanga City, with more than 50 minor provincial radio stations (under the consortium with Radyo Natin).

In October 2008, MBC acquired DWRK from ACWS-United Broadcasting Network. Seven months later in May 2009, DWRK was relaunched as Easy Rock.

In 2017, Hot FM was unofficially ceased itself as most of the remaining Hot FM stations were rebranded and switched to Radyo Natin.

In 2018, MBC began to test broadcast its TV channel DZRH News Television on digital free TV using ISDB-T in Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo.

2019 fire

The Design Center Building in CCP Complex, Pasay, home to MBC studios and offices from 2019 to 2021

MBC main offices and studios were affected by a major fire that originated in the nearby theme park and sister company Star City on October 2, 2019. While regular programming for its AM station DZRH was suspended as a result of the fire, MBC Manila radio stations transferred its operations and broadcasts, in interim, at BSA Twin Towers, in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, where its FM transmitters are located.[10] One month later on November 11, the MBC studios and offices transferred again at the Design Center of the Philippines, which is near the MBC Building.

On November 15, 2021, after a two-year hiatus, MBC studios and offices returned to the newly renovated MBC Building at the Star City complex (which was still under rehabilitation and reconstruction), except for DZRH which would later be relocated on December 17. On the same day, MBC relaunched its new corporate slogan, Sama-Sama Tayo, Pilipino! (lit. transl. We are all Filipinos!) along with the new logos of all MBC radio stations.[11]

Franchise renewal

On October 30, 2018, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11109 which renewed MBC's license for another 25 years. The law grants MBC a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes, radio broadcasting stations and television stations, including digital television system, with the corresponding facilities such as relay stations, throughout the Philippines.[12]

MBC Media Group

Radio networks

NetworkFormatLanguageYear of launchNotes
DZRH News, talk Tagalog 1939 MBC's flagship AM network. Flagship station is 666 Manila with relay stations across the country.
Love Radio Contemporary MOR, OPM Tagalog 1975 MBC's flagship FM network. Flagship station is 90.7 Manila.
Aksyon Radyo News, talk Tagalog
Various dialects		 1995 MBC's regional AM network.
Radyo Natin Community radio Tagalog
Various dialects		 1997 MBC's largest community radio network. Main feed is Radyo Natin Nationwide.
Yes The Best Contemporary MOR, OPM Tagalog 1998 Formerly known as Yes FM from 1998 to 2016. Flagship station is 101.1 Manila.
Easy Rock Soft adult contemporary English 2009 Flagship station is 96.3 Manila.
Defunct networks
NetworkFormatLanguageYearFate
Showbiz Tsismis Show business-centric talk radio Tagalog 1995–1998 Replaced by Yes FM in 1998.
ComNet Community radio Tagalog 1990s Replaced by Radyo Natin in 1997.
Hot FM Community radio Tagalog 1999–2017 Stations in Cebu, Dagupan, Cauayan and Zamboanga became part of the Yes FM network in 2014.
Other stations were either disaffiliated or became part of the Radyo Natin network in the same year.

DZRH News Television

Subsidiaries / Affiliates

Cebu Broadcasting Company
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryRadio network
Founded1947
HeadquartersPasay, Philippines
OwnerElizalde Holdings Corporation
ParentManila Broadcasting Company
Websitembcmediagroup.com
Philippine Broadcasting Corporation
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryRadio network
Founded1948
HeadquartersPasay, Philippines
OwnerElizalde Holdings Corporation
ParentManila Broadcasting Company
Websitemanilabroadcasting.com.ph Edit this on Wikidata
  • Cebu Broadcasting Company
  • Pacific Broadcasting System
  • Philippine Broadcasting Corporation
  • Operation Tulong - MBC's corporate social responsibility program.
  • Elizalde Hotels and Resorts (80%)
  • 365 Talent Management - MBC's talent management unit

References

  1. ↑ "Company Information". Philippine Stock Exchange.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "PSE Edge - Manila Broadcasting Company - Financial reports". Philippine Stock Exchange. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Media Ownership Monitor Philippines - Manila Broadcasting Company". VERA Files. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  4. ↑ "ABS-CBN's post-EDSA boss Ben Aniceto passes away". ABS-CBN News. March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ "WITNESS TO HISTORY – Manila Broadcasting Company". Manila Broadcasting Company. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ Paculan, Virgie (January 11, 1992). "Channel 11 denied permit to operate". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 19. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  7. ↑ Paras, Wilhelmina (1998). "Love Thy Neighbor?". Asiaweek. Manila: Asiaweek. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. ↑ Republic Act No. 7297 (March 26, 1992), An Act Granting Zoe Broadcasting Network, Inc. a Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Island of Luzon and for Other Purposes, retrieved June 7, 2020
  9. ↑ Statistical Series on Metro Manila: "A Gateway to the Philippines", Part 2. National Statistical Coordination Board. 1999. p. 26. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Fire hits Star City compound".
  11. ↑ "MBC jumsptarts re-branding campaign with new station logos". dzrh.com.ph. November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  12. ↑ Republic Act No. 11109 (October 30, 2018), An Act Granting the Manila Broadcasting Company a Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations within the Philippines, and for Other Purposes
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