DWRR-FM

DWRR-FM (MOR 101.9 For Life!)

Current Logo of MOR 101.9 Manila
City Quezon City, Philippines
Broadcast area Mega Manila, and surrounding areas
Branding MOR 101.9 My Only Radio For Life! Manila (an ABS-CBN station)
Slogan My Number One and Only Radio, For Life!
Frequency

101.9 (also on HD Radio)

First air date 1956
Format Contemporary MOR, Hot AC, OPM, Radio drama
Power 25,000 watts (On operational: 22.5 KW)
ERP 56,000 watts; Max ERP dedicated: 100-180+ KW
Class B, C, D, E
Callsign meaning Radio Romance (former branding)
Former callsigns
  • DZYL-FM (1956–1960)
  • DZYK (1960–1972)
  • DWWK (1973–1984)
  • DWOK (1984–1986)
  • DWKO (1986–1987)
  • DZOO (1987–1989)
Former frequencies 102.1 MHz (1956-1968)
101.1 MHz [1]
Affiliations My Only Radio Network
Owner ABS-CBN Corporation
Sister stations ABS-CBN DZMM Radyo Patrol 630
Website MOR Manila Live Streaming

DWRR-FM (pronounced as DW-double-R; 101.9 FM) – branded as MOR 101.9 For Life! – is a 24-hour music radio station of ABS-CBN, and is also the flagship FM station of My Only Radio Network in the Philippines, operated by the Manila Radio division and Star Creatives group.

It was founded in 1956 as one of the radio stations of Chronicle Broadcasting Network (ABS-CBN). It was revived in 1986 and reformatted several times, it is broadcast live throughout the Philippine archipelago, and throughout the world via The Filipino Channel (TFC). The studios are located at ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center, Sgt. Esguerra Ave., corner Mo. Ignacia St., Diliman, Quezon City and its 22.5 kW transmitter is located at the Eugenio Lopez Center, Barangay Sta. Cruz, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, Rizal.

History

DZYL-FM/DZYK-FM (1956–1972)

DZYL-FM 102 MHz, later named DZYK-FM 102.1 MHz, is the first FM radio station in the Philippines and sole FM station of the former Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN). DZYK-FM was founded in 1956 and played the latest pop songs of that time. In 1957, CBN bought Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) resulting in a merger under the name Bolinao Electronics Corporation, later named ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in 1967. Staffed by eight DJs, DZYK-FM 102.1 MHz was popularized to listeners in Greater Manila area. DZYK-FM remained as the FM radio station of ABS-CBN until the station was forced off the air by Ferdinand Marcos under martial law. In 1968, DZYK-FM moved to its current permanent frequency of 101.9 MHz.

DWWK/OK 101 BBC Radio 101.9 FM (1972–1986)

When martial law was declared in 1972, DZYK-FM along with ABS-CBN's two TV channels and six AM radio stations in Manila were shut down under strict censorship. The FM station was taken over by Roberto Benedicto and changed to DWOK-FM (as OK 101.9) of the Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation, which had aired in 1973 as DWWK, a jazz format radio station. It wad staffed by Jing Magsaysay, Wayne Enage, Ed Picson, Dody Lacuna, Ronnie Malig, Pinky Villarama and Ronnie Quintos. DWOK is an AM-formatted FM station which features news, public service programs, and music from the 1950s to the 1970s. Helen Vela also came to the station in 1984 with her counselling program Lovingly Yours, Helen. However, DWOK, DWAN and BBC-2 had been dissolved since the government-controlled radio and TV stations were stormed by reformist rebels. It was given back to ABS-CBN after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, and returned on the air as DWKO, though on test broadcast.

Knock Out Radio 101.9 (1986–1987)

The fall of the Marcos Regime in the immediate aftermath of the People Power Revolution had paved the way for the return of ABS-CBN in the Philippine broadcasting scene. In July 1986, then newly formed Presidential Commission on Good Governance turned two radio stations, DWWW (under 630 kHz) and DWOK-FM, over to ABS-CBN from Marcos ally Roberto Benedicto. DWOK (the former FM station of Benedicto-owned Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation) changed its callsign to DWKO and resumed broadcasting four months later. Lito Balquiedra Jr., Vice-President for Radio, spearheaded the return of the giant network to the local broadcasting scene. The station's former disc jockey Peter Musngi (then known as Peter Rabbit has worked Knock-Out Radio 101.9 and Zoo FM 101.9) has been the network's voice-over since the reopening in 1986. The slogan of the station was "Panalo Ka Talaga!", voiced by Peter Musngi.

The network started recruiting both experienced and new employees and DJs. Prior to the adoption of masa format, all FM stations are English based with the use of the English language during the 1980s and 1990s. After days of careful planning and almost three months of test broadcast which took place on July 16 that year along with sister stations DZMM 630 (which it began broadcasting the following week) and the parent station ABS-CBN Channel 2 (which it began broadcasting in September of the same year), DWKO was born – the first ever FM radio station with an AM format, carrying the name Knock-Out Radio 101.9 in October 1986 (a month after the re-airing of ABS-CBN on channel 2) and playing the hits during that time. Since then, KO-Radio has aired Pinoy hits from singers of the 1970s and 1980s such as Rico J. Puno, Yoyoy Villame, APO Hiking Society. The station also debuted the songs of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) stars like Gary V, Regine Velasquez, Janno Gibbs and Donna Cruz, as well as Filipino Christmas songs. DWKO-FM ended its broadcast on February 28, 1987.

Zoo FM 101.9 (1987–1989)

On March 1, 1987 (following The Star Network era), the station reformatted as Zoo FM 101.9 (DZOO-FM), which is best known for its diamond logo and a slightly uptrend pop sound led to the introduction of OPM and disco hits. Manned by a group of eight DJs, the slogan of the station was Hayop Talaga!. It also served as the home of OPM stars like Gary V, Randy Santiago, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and others. Due to its popularity, Zoo FM 101.9 heavily played OPM songs after the implementation of Executive Order No. 255 by President Corazon Aquino and became a trend among listeners, because Zoo FM is being competed with other FM stations such as The Giant 97.1 WLS-FM (now Barangay LS 97.1), 99.5 RT (now 99.5 Play FM), Magic 89.9, 89 DMZ (now Wave 89.1), NU 107 (now Wish 1075) and more. But because of a massive competition from the rival WLS, Zoo FM decided to end its broadcast, having faltered from WLS's dominant listener ratings (and with GMA-7's TV ratings uprisings, despite the uprising being cut short in 1988 by the resurgence of ABS-CBN and the network being catapulted to first place in the TV industry) in January 1989. Two years later, DZOO-FM ended its broadcast on the night of July 31, 1989 (at 11:00 pm). Listeners and DJs bade goodbye to Zoo FM which gave its final broadcast, and with the last song, "Farewell" by Raymond Lauchengco.

Radio Romance 101.9 (1989–1996)

On the morning of August 1, 1989 (at 6:00 am), it reformatted again and this time it became popularly known as 101.9 Radio Romance, hence the initials RR, playing all easy-listening love songs, manned by all-female jocks (fewer male jocks are also added). That year also signaled the station's first nationwide reach when 103.1 MHz Baguio simulcasted its signals, ensuring travelers from Manila to as far north as Ilocos Sur, uninterrupted listening of its programs, until it eventually simulcasted via satellite to other stations across the country in the early '90s. At the same time, OPM songs are also played on DWRR to produce its weekend OPM program every Sunday.

"Radio Romance" became a title of the movie and a theme song of the station composed by Jose Mari Chan during its popularity. On April 28, 1996 Radio Romance signed-off due to its station reformat.

101.9 For Life! (1996–2009)

On April 29, 1996, WRR reformatted itself into a mainstream pop music station branded WRR 101.9 in response to growing trend of "masa" radio or FM radio for the masses launched by 102.7 Star FM a year earlier. Initially, its slogan was All the Hits, All the Time!. On November 2, 1998, WRR adapted the tagline For Life! (which is based from a co-owned station in Cebu), giving life to listeners with entertainment.

In July 2005, the WRR brand was dropped from the name and adapted the slogan Alam Mo Na 'Yan! (You Already Know It!), lasting from July 2005 to October 2008. In November 2008, the station changed its slogan to Bespren! (Bestfriend!).

The station had its last broadcast under the 101.9 For Life! brand on September 19, 2009 and underwent a transition period playing automated music in preparation for a relaunch of DWRR-FM's new branding on October 1, 2009. However, due to the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in Manila, the station rebrand was postponed for almost a month. For the time being, DWRR-FM temporarily went under the name "ABS-CBN 101.9 FM" or simply "101.9".

The postponed relaunch was set on November 4, 2009. Prior to the announcement of the launch date, the station's DJs began providing live spiels again every top of the hour since October 12. But as part of the ongoing transition, the jocks never mentioned its fomer brand or slogan & the format of the station's SMS syntax except the text hotline itself.

Tambayan 101.9 (2009–2013)

The former logo of Tambayan 101.9 from November 4, 2009-May 2013.
Some logo used in Tambayan TV when the station was named as 101.9

On November 4, 2009 at 9:00pm, an audio-visual presentation about the history of DWRR. Following that, the station was relaunched as Tambayan 101.9 (tambayan is the Tagalog word for hangout) starting with the theme song & live debut at a venue in Makati. Tambayan launched its video streaming called Tambayan TV where DJs are seen live from the booth. In between songs playing, some information plugs were seen (such as Tambayan's Slumbook). Just like DZMM Teleradyo, plugs were also aired during commercial gaps. Tambayan TV is aired 24 hours over the Internet.

The station was also launched via HD Radio technology.[2]

In May 2013, ABS-CBN Corporation decided to drop the Tambayan brand and revert to the name "ABS-CBN 101.9 FM" or "101.9", due to management decision and signifying another rebranding of the station.

MOR 101.9 (2013–present)

On July 8, 2013 at midnight, 101.9 rebranded as MOR 101.9 My Only Radio For Life!.[3] Regular programming began at 5:00am, with Joco Loco, Maki Rena & Eva Ronda as the first jocks to go on board. DJs from WRR 101.9 For Life! (Toni, China Heart, Reggie Valdez, Martin D. and Geri) were still part of the on-air team, as well as DJs from the former Tambayan 101.9 roster (Charlie, Jasmin, Arnold Rei, Bea, ChaCha and Onse). The rebranding of this station created a unified brand for ABS-CBN's FM radio stations nationwide, which are under the MOR station brand. This also reverts the slogan of the station's second incarnation of "For Life" which was first used during the WRR 101.9 For Life! era.

The rebranding proved to be hugely successful, as the live concert of the station during the Grand Kapamilya Weekend on October 5–6 as part of ABS-CBN's 60th anniversary was crowded by many people, and with the rebranding, the station posed as very serious competition to many masa stations in the Mega Manila market. Within the first 6 months from July to December 2013 and recently in the first quarter of 2017, the station ranked as the No. 1 FM station in Mega Manila based from the joint Kantar Media and KBP Radio Research Council survey, battling competitor networks–including radio rival Manila Broadcasting Company (whose stations 90.7 Love Radio and 101.1 Yes! The Best are constant leaders in the ratings); and company rival RGMA's Barangay LS 97.1 (who recently claimed as No. 1 in the market based on data from Kantar's data company rival Nielsen Radio Research)– into the top FM stations in the market. As a result, the station has become one of the country's strongest MOR markets in its company portfolio.

MOR has also organized special events, including the MOR Pinoy Music Awards and launching new books as popularised by MOR's top-rating programs Dear MOR with Popoy and Jasmin (which became the first radio drama anthology to be aired on FM radio, and setting the trend of broadcasting radio dramas on the FM band) and Heartbeats with Chacha.[4]

Current Air Staff

Former DJs

Awards

Theme music

As an independent station

As an MOR Station

ABS-CBN FM Radio Network

MOR is also broadcast to 16 provincial stations in the Philippines.

Further information: Regional Stations

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2008/october2008/133347.htm)
  2. ↑ New name, direction: Tambayan 101.9 – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos. Retrieved on Nov. 4, 2009
  3. ↑ 101.9 For Life launches new radio station jingle ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 7, 2013
  4. ↑ "2014 ABS-CBN Annual Report". ABS-CBN Investor Relations. Retrieved 16 August 2015.

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