DZBB-TV

"GMA-7" redirects here. For For the article about the television network, see GMA Network, see GMA-7 (disambiguation).

For the radio station, see DZBB-AM.

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DZBB-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of Philippine television network GMA Network, Inc. Its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, at the corner of Timog Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City. Its transmitter station is located at Barangay Culiat, Tandang Sora in Quezon City.

History

DZBB-TV traces its history to Metro Manila radio station DZBB, owned by Loreto F. de Hemedes, Inc., later renamed Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. of Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart. After the success of its radio station, the company ventured into television. On October 29, 1961, RBS Channel 7, the third television station in the Philippines, started operations with just 25 employees (other stations had 200), a surplus transmitter, two old cameras and no lighting equipment and props.

The station was always in the red and Stewart was about to give up when the program "Dancetime with Chito" became a big hit and advertising revenues rolled in. Canned programs from the United States further sustained its success.

File:Gma logo 1978.png

GMA Radio-Television Arts logo in Metro Manila in 1978.

In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines and the station was forced to shut down. It was not until 1974 that the station went back on-air. RBS, including its TV and radio stations, were sold to a triumvirate composed of Felipe Gozon, Gilberto Duavit, Sr., and Menardo Jimenez who introduced a programming concept catering to the new audience. The new management acquired new equipment and introduced new programs, a new name, GMA (Greater Manila Area) Radio-Television Arts, and a new identity, "Where You Belong."

When democracy in the Philippines was restored in the People Power Revolution in 1986, other television stations began to air, some with their original owners. The political instability of the country also added to the station's burden, when soldiers stormed into its studios for two days in a part of coup attempt to topple then President Corazon Aquino.

On November 7, 1988, the GMA Tower of Power, the tallest man-made structure in the country at that time was inaugurated. With its 100,000 Watts TV transmitter and a high-gain corner reflector antenna, GMA dramatically improved its reach and signal in Luzon. The tower's height is 777 ft (237 m).

In 1998, Channel 7 greatly improved its TV signal after switching on their 100,000 Watts transmitter facility in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

As a part of their network's 60th anniversary since 2010, DZBB-TV will celebrate its 50th anniversary as the country's second TV station in Metro Manila after DWWX-TV and DWET-TV, and to trace back the origins of GMA-7's programming.

References

• "GMA Turns Gold". Manila Bulletin. 2000, June 14. pp. S1–S12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Anastacio & Badiola. "what's the story, pinoy tv?". Archived from the original on 2005-09-08. Retrieved August 21, 2006.

See also

• GMA Network
• List of GMA Network affiliate stations