Manila Broadcasting Company

Manila Broadcasting Company
(MBC)

Type	Public (PSE: MBC)
Industry	Broadcast television and radio network
Founded	1939 1946 (incorporation)
Founder(s)	Samuel Gaches (of the Heacock Company) Frederico Elizalde JM Elizalde Manuel Elizalde
Headquarters	Pasay, Philippines
Key people	Fred J. Elizalde, Chairman and CEO Juan Elizalde, Senior Vice President Ruperto Nicdao Jr., President
Operating income	3.88% (March 2009)
Net income	2.72% (March 2009)
Owner(s)	FJE Group of Companies
Employees	250+ (as of March 2009)
Website	manilabroadcasting.com mbcsales.com.ph

Manila Broadcasting Company (PSE: MBC) is a radio and television network owned by the FJE Group of Companies in the Philippines. Its AM flagship station, DZRH is the oldest radio station in the country.

MBC's corporate headquarters and studios are located at MBC Building, Sotto St., CCP Complex, Pasay City. The current president is Ruperto Nicdao Jr.

MBC owns over 500 radio stations throughout the Philippines and the largest radio network in Asia. The company has seven different brands and most well known of which are DZRH Nationwide, Aksyon Radyo, Love Radio, Yes FM, Hot FM, Easy Rock, and Radyo Natin. The number "500" is in question as according to the NTC, there are only 580 licensed FM stations and 375 AMs in the country.

Aside from radio, it has returned into TV broadcasting with its cable TV channel (RHTV, or DZRH Television) and five regional TV channels (TV Natin, or Radyo Natin Television).

History

The Heacock era

The origins of MBC can be traced to DZRH, first went on air as KZRH on the morning of July 15, 1939 by the Heacock Company, a department store company based in Escolta, 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 for their propaganda.

The birth of MBC and DZRH

After World War II, three prominent businessmen, Maestro Frederico Elizalde and his brothers then-Ambassador JM Elizalde and Manuel (also known as Don Manolo) took over KZRH and KYRC. With the help of station manager Bertrand Silen, KZRH established its operations, this time at the Insular Life Building in Plaza Cervantes. In June 1946, the Elizalde family established the new network as Manila Broadcasting Company.

KZRH returned to the airwaves under MBC on July 1, 1946, and first covering the live of inaugural of President Manuel Roxas. In 1947, after the international telecommunications conference in the U.S. 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 and DZPI.

In 1949, DZRH began airing the first radio drama, Gulong ng Palad. Radio drama is one of the traditional history of Philippine radio before the rise of television industry.

1960s to Marcos dictatorship

MBC launched Channel 11 in Manila and 6 key cities, which continues to exist until 1972. When then-President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law, MBC was temporarily closed. It produced and broadcasted public affairs show Straight from the Shoulder until its closure, its broadcast returned on GMA and co-produced by GMA News and Public Affairs.

When MBC was returned few years later, however, forced to put DZMB and other MBC music AM stations (such as DYBU) moved to FM radio. MBC entered the FM industry and signals the launch of Love Radio network.

The expansion of MBC

DZRH Nationwide

By after EDSA Revolution which ironned the Marcos dictatorship, MBC finally expanded its FM stations while DZRH continues to broadcast nationwide.

In 1985, Manuel Elzalde retires. His son, Fred J. Elizalde, becomes Chairman and CEO. Ruperto Nicdao, Jr. (who is also the Vice-Chairman of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) of entered as board member in 1988 before he became President of MBC.

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

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.

Also in 1995, 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 City, Cebu City, General Santos City and Zamboanga City, with more than 50 minor provincial radio stations (under the consortium with Radyo Natin).

In July 2002, MBC studios were moved from FJE Bldg. in Makati City to CCP Complex in Pasay City.

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

In October 2008, MBC acquired DWRK from ACWS-United Broadcasting Network. 7 months later on May 2009, DWRK was relaunched as Easy Rock.

After 36 years of silence, MBC returned to television with RHTV since October 2008.

Radio stations

Main article: List of Manila Broadcasting Company stations

RHTV

Main article: RHTV

Subsidiaries

• Love Radio Network
• Cebu Broadcasting Company - Operator of Easy Rock.
• Pacific Broadcasting Systems - Operator of Aksyon Radyo and Yes FM.
• Radyo Natin Network - Operator of Radyo Natin.
• WRD Media Channels Production - Operator of Radyo Natin Calauag & Hot FM Lopez.
• Operation Tulong

Partnerships and affiliations

• Bitstop Network Services
• Cultural Center of the Philippines

External links

• The updated website of Manila Broadcasting Company
• MBC Sales Website
• Radyo Natin Network
• MBC on Google Finance