Fans of TV5 personalities Senator Raffy Tulfo, Ted Failon, and Cristy Fermin who listen to their radio shows on 92.3 FM will have to tune in to another frequency starting November 4, Monday, after House Speaker Martin Romualdez and tycoon Manny Pangilinan’s media companies announced deals involving radio assets. 

Pangilinan’s Nation Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), which airs the Kapatid station Radyo5 True FM, said on Monday, October 28, that it was in talks to “transfer” NBC’s radio assets to the Philippine Collective Media Corporation (PCMC), a subsidiary of Romualdez’s publicly-listed media company, Prime Media Holdings, Incorporated (Prime Media).

NBC is part of Pangilinan’s media empire under MediaQuest Holdings. NBC’s legislative franchise to operate radio and television stations was renewed in March 2022. MediaQuest’s other assets include broadsheets Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, cable channel Cignal TV, and content creator MQuest Ventures.

“The parties are in discussions for the transfer of NBC’s radio assets in favor of PCMC, subject to applicable regulatory approvals and other commercial terms. In the meantime, NBC and PCMC will enter into a blocktime and content licensing agreement,” NBC said in a statement. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has to approve the transaction.

NBC’s discussions with PCMC, however, only involve radio and not NBC’s TV assets. Pangilinan still needs NBC which airs MVP’s sports channel, One Sports, in cooperation with TV5 and Cignal TV, on both free TV and digital TV.

Why did the Romualdez group choose this particular radio asset?

“92.3 is one of the highest rating frequencies on FM. It is likely that PCMC wants to expand its reach in Manila,” MediaQuest Holdings told Rappler on Tuesday when sought for comment.

Radyo5’s 92.3 True FM and its talents have informed their followers on their social media accounts that their shows are moving to the 105.9 FM frequency in Mega Manila starting next week.

Senator Tulfo himself reposted NBC’s official statement on his Raffy Tulfo in Action Facebook account that informs his 21 million followers to tune in to 105.9 FM if they are in Mega Manila starting next week.

Broadcaster Ted Failon’s co-anchor in his 6 am to 10 am Radyo5 show, DJ Chacha, said the change will not affect their regional presence.

“Sa Metro at Mega Manila ang mababago. Starting Monday, 105.9 na kami mapapakinggan. Pero ang FM stations natin sa probinsiya, same pa rin mga Kapatid,” she told her followers.

(The change is in Metro Manila and Mega Manila. Starting Monday, you can listen to us on 105.9 FM. But the FM stations in the provinces, it’s still the same.)

For listeners who still use transistor radios, they will have to move the tuner from the left side of the FM band 92.3 to the far right of FM band where the 105.9 FM frequency is.

105.9 FM in Metro Manila is currently Neo Retro station which airs music. The station is owned by Bright Star Broadcasting Network, whose legislative franchise was renewed in 2022 for another 25 years. Bright Star has apparently agreed to lease its airtime to Pangilinan’s group, which means Neo Retro 105.9 The One is shutting down, unless it opts to continue online.

“Pitong araw na lang, dito na sa 105.9 ang 92.3 FM (In just 7 days, 92.3 FM will be here in 105.9 FM),” aired an advisory on Neo Retro on Monday. As of writing, Neo Retro was off the air.

For radio listeners outside of Mega Manila, Radyo5’s programs will be aired in the following stations: 106.7 in Davao, 101.9 in Cebu, 101.5 in Cagayan De Oro, 99.9 in Ormoc, and 104.7 in Tacloban. 

The Radyo5 programs that will move to 105.9 FM in Mega Manila are: 

• Senator Raffy Tulfo’s Wanted sa Radyo
• Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa Radyo5, a news, commentary, and public service program
• Heart2Heart, a relationship advice show of Kuya Poy
• Lourd de Vera’s Sana Lourd
• Entertainment writer Cristy Fermin’s celebrity program Cristy Ferminute 
• Early morning news program Bangon Bayan with Mon Gualvez
• TV5’s flagship news program Frontline Pilipinas 
• Laila Chikador’s Shoutout
• Brother Jun Banaag’s Dr. Love
• Cheryl Cosim’s advice show Sagot Kita

Romualdez’s interests

Romualdez’s Prime Media also confirmed on Monday the transactions between its subsidiary PCMC and NBC.

“We…confirm that PCMC entered into Blocktime and Content Licensing Agreements with Nation Broadcasting Corp. for FM Frequency 92.3 in Manila and other regional radio stations,” Prime Media told the Philippine Stock Exchange. “The parties are also in discussions for the transfer of NBC’s radio assets [to PCMC], subject to applicable regulatory approvals and other commercial terms,” it added. 

PCMC is a media organization founded by Romualdez in 2008. It got its franchise to operate radio and television stations in the Eastern Visayas during the Arroyo administration, when the 14th Congress passed Republic Act 9773. On December 21, 2020, the 18th Congress amended PCMC’s franchise from regional to national, allowing it to air beyond Eastern Visayas.

PCMC operates the FMR or Favorite Music Radio station, which now has FM stations all over the country but is weak in Mega Manila. FMR stands for Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the Speaker’s full name.

PCMC’s acquistion of the NBC radio assets, meaning equipment such as NBC’s radio transmitters used for the 92.3 FM frequency, will cure this weakness.

PCMC’s FMR Radio revealed on Monday via its Facebook account FM Radio Philippines that it would be taking over 92.3 FM starting Monday. It also posted its new logo with 92.3FM under FM Favorite Music Radio.

In another post, FMR Radio said, “November 4th, Ka-Vibes! Save the date because you can be with your favorite music DJs.”

DJ Jhai Ho and digital content creator Maine Eugenio were introduced on Tuesday as among the deejays of FMR Radio 92.3 FM.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JhaiHo (@mor1019jhaiho)

DJ Jhai Ho said her program will be from 3 pm to 6 pm. 

“Matapos kong i-sign off ang MOR Philiippines noong 2020. This is it!” the former deejay of ABS-CBN’s FM radio station MOR 101.9 posted on Tuesday. 

OMG May 5 ngayon. Hala.. Nanumbalik ang lungkot. sorry na. Ito yung araw na nag sign off ako sa MOR 101.9 🥹🥹🥹 Tatlong taon na 💔 pic.twitter.com/Jnpdugurzn

— DJ Jhaiho (@mor1019jhaiho) May 5, 2023

MOR 101.9 was one of the casualties of the shutdown of ABS-CBN’s broadcast business after the House of Representatives rejected the company’s new franchise in 2020. 

Digital content creator Maine Marie Eugenio is venturing into radio program hosting as DJ Maine. Her show will be from 11 pm to midnight.

“Never kong pinangarap or naimagine na maging Radio DJ sa buong buhay ko. I do believe na plan ito ni God. Dahil never kong hiningi ito pero kusang dumating ng hindi ko inaasahan,” she said on Facebook.

(I never imagined that I would become a radio DJ. I do believe this is God’s plan because I never asked for this but it just came.)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maine Marie Eugenio (@maineeugenioofficial)

Big picture

Why is radio still important to politicians like President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s cousin?

In a previous interview with Rappler, Jose Bartolome, a senior lecturer on broadcasting communications at the UP College of Communications, said radio has traditionally played an important role in discussing politics, local issues, and local news. These types of discussions are given little time now on free television. Outside of nightly news programs, the major networks’ focus for free TV is entertainment.

Bartolome said radio has been an important venue for national and local politicians who want to court voters, especially the masses who still depend on this medium for news, information, and entertainment such as radio dramas.

Recall that Romualdez’s Prime Media entered into a joint venture with ABS-CBN that allowed him to take over DZMM TeleRadyo in June 30, 2023, after the Lopezes shut it down due to financial losses after the lower house, including Romualdez, rejected its new franchise. DZMM TeleRadyo was resuscitated as DWPM Radyo 630 Teleradyo Serbisyo operated by PCMC.

Last May, Prime Media forayed into digital terrestrial television by putting up Prime TV Philippines, a digital TV channel that uses the frequencies of the Globe Retirement Fund’s BEAM TV. FMR radio correspondents from various FMR stations now also get to report news on Prime TV.

Under the Media Serbisyo Production Corporation joint venture, ABS-CBN supplies the content for Radyo 630. The station has given Romualdez a stronger presence in the AM band in Mega Manila.

This year, Romualdez has been more open about his interest in Radyo 630. He gave an exclusive interview to Radyo 630 talent Alvin Elchico of ABS-CBN on politics and other national issues in July, after the station celebrated its first anniversary on June 30.

Abangan nyo po bukas ang interview with Mr. House Speaker Martin Romualdez sa Gising Pilipinas, 6AM-7:30AM, July 3, 2024.
Teleradyo Serbisyo at Radyo 630. pic.twitter.com/QJ1VI7TIQt

— alvin elchico (@alvinelchico) July 2, 2024

This was followed by a rare interview on his personal life by former ABS-CBN journalist Niña Corpuz.

Corpuz also anchors the show Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on state-owned PTV4.

The head of PCMC, House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias “Ponyong” Gabonada, also occasionally appears on Corpuz’s radio program Nagseserbisyo on Radyo 630 to discuss the lower house’s public service efforts and the Marcos administration’s public service initiatives such as the Bangon Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair.

Prime Media had a net loss of P3.9 million in the first quarter of 2024. It closed 2023 with a net loss of P30 million. It continues to find ways of raising money as it expands its media investments.

Based on ABS-CBN’s first quarter earnings, Media Serbisyo had a net loss of P14.6 million as of March 31. ABS-CBN’s equity in the net loss in Media Serbisyo amounted to P7.1 million. 

When Teleradyo Serbisyo started on June 30, it was only operational in the morning, from 6 am to noon, and then expanded to 18-hour (6 am to 10 pm) programming on July 17, 2023. 

Today, it even has live shows in the graveyard shift, including on weekends. On its second year, it now has at least 18 programs compared to only 14 when it started. In terms of number of programs, it has come close to the country’s number one radio station, GMA Network’s DZBB. 

Teleradyo Serbisyo’s mantra is public service. Aside from news programs, it has shows offering advice on health, legal matters, finance, and relationships.

This year, PCMC sought the services of 90 Degrees North, a media company that helps its clients improve its technical backend. In a July 2 Facebook post, 90 Degrees North posted photos of Romualdez with other officers of Media Serbisyo, notably Marah Capuyan, Anthony Te, and PCMC’s Gabonada, saying PCMC is “strengthening its ties with 90 Degrees North Inc. as its designated technical partner for FM Radio and Prime TV expansion.” 

MVP launches True TV

What’s in this for Pangilinan’s media empire?

The sale of NBC’s radio assets to PCMC means Mediaquest Holdings considers FM radio less important as advertisers pour more money into digital media than traditional media.

Although Pangilinan is giving up NBC’s radio assets, it is beefing up its digital media and promoting its pay TV business by launching True TV, a new pay TV channel that will be shown on Cignal TV starting November 4. Cignal TV, launched in 2009, is the country’s largest cable and direct-to-home satellite provider.

True TV will show the Radyo5 programs that will be bumped off from 92.3 FM.

NBC calls this the “company’s multiplatform strategy that brings True FM’s award-winning news and public service and entertainment programs to broadcast radio, TV, podcasts, and digital channels.”

“We will support the momentum that we have built for True FM and develop new audiences on TV, podcasts, and digital. We want to establish a cohesive media presence across various platforms, centered on truthful, authentic, and trustworthy storytelling,” said NBC General Manager Raul dela Cruz on Monday.

MediaQuest Holdings, however, denied it was no longer focusing on radio. “We know that radio is here to stay, but the market continues changing. The priority for MediaQuest is to provide wider reach for all of our programs, especially for True Network as these are some of the best out there,” the company told Rappler on Tuesday.

MediaQuest Holdings told Rappler the transaction with Prime Media will “help raise funds” for its new priorities.

Pangilinan continues to reorganize his media enterprises in a bid to make them profitable. His free TV Channel 5 is almost entirely now focused on entertainment shows, dropping sports programs like the PBA games to the digital channel RPTV, a partnership with Nine Media Corporation, which earlier closed down CNN Philippines.

TV5 also took in the Philippines’ longest noon show, Eat Bulaga!, after a content partnership with the trio of veteran actors Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. It has also put more money into flagship news program Frontline Pilipinas, which showed a slight improvement in ratings in 2023. – Rappler.com

ALSO ON RAPPLER

• [OPINION] Raised on radio
• GMA’s ‘Sumasapuso’: Why radio is still alive in the Philippines
• After CNN PH closure, Manny Pangilinan’s TV5 launches RPTV on Channel 9
• How ‘It’s Showtime’ airing on GMA Channel 7 will impact network war with TV5
• Manny Pangilinan launches talent agency, signs ‘GomBurZa’ star Cedrick Juan