Update on the History of Philippine Television

First and foremost, I would like to thank Ed Ching for some valuable information regarding some updates on the history of Philippine television.

Ed, a 36-year-old bank officer, and MBA holder from the De La Salle University, has been interested in media since he was in grade school. Due to his interest, he has noted historical observations partly from experience, and mostly through research. He writes:

"In my opinion, EDSA has resumed what I believe was an interruption in the growth of media during the Martial Law years. It was in 1992 that local media really boomed, both on radio and especially television, with the expansion of the free channel choices to the higher UHF band. What started the present media composition was made during this time. In a way, I
became a witness to these openings. Here is a summary of the expansion of local television from 1992 onwards:

Feb. 21, 1992 - ABC Channel 5 was formally inaugurated in their all
new studio complex in Novaliches Quezon City.

Feb. 21, 1992 - ABC Channel 21 Cebu becomes the first local UHF TV
station in the country.

May, 1992 - Southern Broadcasting Network of Davao launched SBN Channel
21, the first local UHF TV station in Metro Manila. It was then known as
World TV 21. The idea is to bring back programming similar to the forceably
shut down FEN Channel 17 of the former Clark US Air Base a year earlier due
to the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

May, 1992 - Ermita Electronics Corp. launched the country's first UHF TV
station fully devoted to rebroadcasting a foreign satellite channel
with the then STAR-TV- controlled MTV Asia on Channel 23.

October 1992 - Byers Communications Corp. launches Intelvision 68 from a
transmitter in Antipolo City. It becomes the first UHF station to
introduce subscription TV. Its signals are encrypted in January. However, 6
months after, it folded up due to intense competition from cable.

August 1993 - Rajah Broadcasting Network became the first radio-based
network to launch a TV station called RJTV 29, with a part music video and part
home shopping format. It pioneered the first home shopping network in the
country.

Oct. 31, 1994 - Radio Mindanao Network became the second radio-based
network to launch a TV station called CTV31. It is also the first UHF station
to be inspired by the format of a cable movie channel.

July 1, 1995 - GMA Network Inc. launches Citynet 27, becoming the first
major radio-television network to operate a UHF TV station. It attempted to
broadcast programming from the old Martial Law GMA 7 days.

October 5, 1996 - ABS-CBN launches Studio 23, becoming the second major
radio-television network to operate a UHF TV station, and the first on
UHF to adopt a general programming format. Since their introduction, other
UHF stations never recovered in terms of ratings.

1997 - RJTV 29 became the first home of a new breed of local
televangelists and became a vehicle for a then obscure sect leader Bro. Eli Soriano to
become popular in their television program "Ang Dating Daan".

1999- Citynet 27 becomes EMC, the first locally programmed music video
channel. It later became Channel V Philippines when it struck an
agreement with STAR TV to localize the said music channel.

2000 - ETV 39 was launched, attempting to become the first free to air
gambling channel on UHF with the nightly Bingo Pilipino draws. It fizzled
out by late 2000 as former president Joseph Estrada banned its draws in
response to public clamor.

2000 - Eagle Broadcasting Corp. launches Net 25, the first free-to-air
documentary and technology channel inspired by Discovery Channel and
Tech TV. It becomes the third radio based network to launch a TV station.

January 1, 2001- MTV Asia becomes MTV Philippines, a localized version
of the all time favorite cable channel, through NBC UHF Channel 41. It was
the only MTV channel being localized and aired for free in an Asian
country.

April 26-30, 2001 - Net 25 became the first UHF station to broadcast a
political event from the opposition and the only station to broadcast
in full the infamous "Edsa Tres". The coverage was only stopped with an
order from the Iglesia ni Cristo upon the request of the government.

June 15, 2001 - Zoe TV Channel 11 gives up 95% of its programming to
CNBC Asia, making it the first VHF station to rebroadcast a foreign cable
channel. The country is the only one carrying the channel without any
subscription fee on a part-time basis.

July, 2001 - Channel V Philippines closes down because of conflict of
interest between the owners of GMA, which was then being considered by
PLDT, who handles MTV Philippines via NBC, one of its subsidiaries.

October, 2001 - After more than a year of test broadcasts, NU TV Channel
37 was formally launched as UNTV, the first alternative locally programmed
music video channel."

Thanks again, Ed!

I found a very insightful and obviously well-researched article by my college professor and thesis adviser, Ms. Josefina M.C. Santos, discussing globalisation, tradition, and its effect on Philippine television. In the article, she mentions the four types of programmes present in Philippine TV programming today that have symbiotic relationships. She mentions telenovelas, animes, Magandang Tanghali Bayan, and Hoy Gising, among others.