DWFM
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| DWFM (U92) | |
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| City of license | Makati City |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Metro Manila |
| Branding | U92 |
| Slogan | "Cool to be U" |
| Frequency | 92.3 MHz |
| First air date | 1963 (as NBC) 1975 (as DWFM/MRS) 1998 (as Rhythms) 2001 (as Joey) 2007 (as 92.3 xFM) 2009 (as U92) |
| Format | Easy listening (as DWFM/MRS) Smooth jazz (as Joey/second XFM circa 2008) Chill-out, Electronica (as the first xFM) Contemporary Hit Radio (as U92) |
| Power | 25,000 watts |
| Owner | Nation Broadcasting Corporation (leased to All Youth Channels, Inc.) |
| Website | [1] |
DWFM, currently branded as U92, is an FM radio station owned by Nation Broadcasting Corporation and operated by All Youth Channels Inc. in the Philippines. The station's studio is located at the Silver City Mall, Frontera Verde drive, Julia Vargas Ave., Pasig City.
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[edit] History
Previously known as MRS 92.3 - Most Requested Song, Joey @ Rhythms 92.3 and later 923 Joey, the station started broadcasting in 1973 under the call letters DWFM.
Nation Broadcasting Corporation was born in 1963 as a result of the vision of one of Philippine radio's pioneers - Abelardo Yabut, Sr. Starting as a one-station affair with its Zamboanga AM station DXYZ and Manila AM station DZAM, NBC grew to a network of 16 AM stations. In 1973, a year after the Martial Law, NBC established its Manila presence with DWFM-FM.
Manila's third FM station (after DZFX-FM 101.1 of Makati Broadcasting Network and DZYK-FM 101.9 of Chronicle Broadcasting Network) DWFM adopted the MRS format - "Most Requested Song" which featured soft pop, ballads, fairly adult contemporary. MRS 92.3 also named as DWFM 92.3 quickly became one of the top rated stations on FM and kept that distinction throughout most of its life, MRS was one of a handful of FM stations in Manila that defined the very popular adult contemporary format for a long time. With the success of DWFM in Manila, NBC also established Cebu's first FM station, DYNC-FM 101.9, in 1975. Within the same year, NBC put up DXFM-FM 101.9 in Davao, the first FM station in Davao and the whole of Mindanao. NBC then progressd into two divisions, NBC AM Network (16 AM stations) and NBC FM-Stereo Network (13 FM stations), NBC is named as the First Radio Sattelite network in the Philippines on the 1980's.
The company took on new owners in the mid-90's when the Yabut family divested its shareholdings in the whole network (both FM and AM) to then real estate magnate and Speaker of the House Manny Villar. The station managed to maintain its original format without any changes.
[edit] As Joey 92.3/923 Joey
In 1998, NBC was acquired by MediaQuest Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund. With the new owners came a new management team, a new corporate logo and a new sound.
MRS was replaced by "Joey" in 1998. Radio executive Francis Lumen assumed the position of president and CEO bringing with him his previous 10 years of managing the now defunct DWCT Citylite 88.3 (now Jam 88.3). Joey went on to target the higher echelon crowd - mostly embassy officials and deejays who were displaced by the departure of Citylite 88.3 in 2003, with a mix of jazz fusion, pop jazz and crossover sound, with a little more of the European jazz flavor.
Its initial reincarnation came in the form of Joey 92.3 Rhythms - Joey also heralding the re-branding of its FM network using the same female names. The NBC AM Network was also rebranded - Angel Radio (now Sonshine Radio). As well, its official call letters were changed from DWFM to DZRU.
It was also during this period that NBC entered into a joint venture with MTV Asia for an MTV Philippines feed via NBC's UHF Network (Channel 41).
In 2005, the Rhythms tag was dropped in favor of 923 Joey - It's a Groove Thing.
In January 2007, a new management team was brought on board. After 9 years as Joey, the team decided to re-format and reposition the network to meet the challenges of the evolving FM industry. Veteran broadcaster and media executive Raymund Miranda (previously with Real Radio RK96, KY91.5. GMA Network and The Walt Disney Company South East Asia/Korea), radio executive and GMA-7 voice-over Al Torres (Al W Leader - 99.5RT, RK96, Kiss 101.1 and The Gentle Wind DWSM), along with veteran radio sales executive Amy Victa (RK96, Lite Rock 96.3) joined forces in this next step.
Together with the new team, the butterfly was dropped from the logo and the official call letters were returned to DWFM, The original call letter of the station.
[edit] As XFM
On Easter Sunday, 8 April, 2007 at exactly 12:01AM, 92.3 bid goodbye to Joey and surprised avid listeners with a new sound, new station liners and a return to its original call letters. Before playing the very first song under its new format, the station played this liner: "This is xFM. The New Equation for Good Music". From then on, xFM played ambient, chill, down-tempo, electronica, house, lounge, trip-hop and indie music - music more at home in clubs than radio. Interestingly enough, from August 2007 until the end of xFM's first iteration, easy listening tracks, which were a staple during the station's existence as 923 Joey, made its way again to the supposedly electronica-and-indie station's playlist, which led to the scrapping of the groundbreaking format on January 2008.
[edit] XFM Adopts the Smooth Jazz Format
"re-birth" was instituted on February 2008 with the adoption of a very popular Adult Contemporary format "Smooth Jazz", thus reverting it to the same format as it had before (as 923 Joey). 92.3 xFM has been rebranded into XFM 92.3 and adopted the slogan "Light N Up!" XFM 92.3 follows the likes of smooth jazz stations such as KNUA, KTWV and other stations that target the adult listeners. Coupled with R & B and contemporary pop favorites, XFM 92.3 mixes current smooth jazz selections and old memorable jazz favorites. XFM 92.3 has metamorphosed to become a light, vibrant and relaxing station to listen to in Metro-Manila.
In its run as a smooth jazz station, XFM used the following slogans:
- "Stress Free Radio"
- "Cool, Hip, Light, Smooth and all that Jazz"
- "Light N Up"
[edit] As U92
On October 1, 2009, NBC management discontinued the XFM smooth jazz format after a year and seven months. In its place, a CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) format was fielded identifying itself as U92, with the youth-oriented slogan "Cool To Be U". U92 is manned by a group led by Francis Lumen, president of All Youth Channels (AYC), which runs MTV Philippines. Lumen is a former NBC radio executive and Raven Broadcasting Corporation president. The station is labelled as a radio affiliate of MTV Philippines. The on-air personalities are a mix of former and current MTV Philippines VJ's, celebrities and career radio people.
U92 is currently broadcasting from the NBC studios on EDSA, Guadalupe, Makati City and will be moving to its permanent studio in Silver City Mall, Frontera Verde Complex, Pasig City, to share facilities with MTV Philippines.
[edit] Personalities
- KC Montero
- Jimmy Muna (formerly of Wave 891)
- Cesca Litton (PBA courtside reporter)
- Eri Neeman (formerly of Wave 891)
- Joshua Yu (formerly of 99.5 RT)
- Sarah Meier (at one time with Power 108)
- Vicky Herrera
- The BrewRATs! (formerly of 99.5 RT)
- Tado Jimenez
- Angel Rivero
- Ramon Bautista
- Rye (formerly of Wave 891)
- Patti (formerly of Jam 88.3)
- Carisse
- Sib Sibulo
- Marc Abaya
- Mike Potenciano(formerly of Wave 891)
- Lindy
- Pia Magalona
Boldface denotes current and past MTV Philippines personalities.
[edit] Programs
- Morning WoUld, a morning talk and music show hosted by KC, Jimmy and Cesca, Monday to Friday, 6-10 am
- U Know, a late morning all-request show hosted by Eri, Monday to Friday, 10-2 pm
- Count on U, an early afternoon countdown show hosted by Joshua, Monday to Friday, 2-5 pm
- The Dollhouse, a drivetime show hosted by Sarah and Vicky, Monday to Friday, 5-7 pm
- The BrewRATs!, an anything-goes radio show hosted by Tado, Angel, and Ramon, Monday to Thursday, 7-10 pm
- The Break, a hip-hop and new soul show hosted by Rye, Fridays, 7-10 pm
- Shakedown, a hangout radio show hosted by Patti and Carisse, Saturdays, 10-2 pm
- Shatterday Saturday, a talk and rock show hosted by Sib, Saturdays, 2-6 pm
- 5 HELLtop Drive, a hard rock show hosted by Marc, Saturdays, 6-10 pm
- Turbo Time with Mike and Lindy, a late night talk show about the Philippine motoring scene, Mondays 10pm-12mn, hosted by Mike Potenciano and Lindy
- U Are Life, a talkshow about embracing the positive things in life, hosted by Pia Magalona, Sundays, 8-11am
[edit] NBC Radio stations in the Philippines
| Branding | Callsign | Frequency | Power (kW) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U92 | DWFM | 92.3 MHz | 25 kW | Metro Manila |
| 102.3 Jesse | DZYB-FM | 102.3 MHz | 10 kW | Baguio |
| 88.7 Donna | DWYC-FM | 88.7 MHz | 5 kW | Cabanatuan |
| 94.3 Lovely | DWJY-FM | 94.3 MHz | 5 kW | San Pablo |
| WAV 1023 | DYBC-FM | 102.3 MHz | 5 kW | Bacolod |
| WAV 1019 | DYNC-FM | 101.9 MHz | 10 kW | Cebu |
| Sandy 101 FM | DXRL-FM | 101.5 MHz | 10 kW | Cagayan De Oro |
| WAV 1019 | DXFM | 101.9 MHz | 10 kW | Davao |
[edit] External links
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