FBN

**FBN** (an initialism of the network's former name, the **Filipino Broadcasting Network**) is a Filipino commercial broadcast television network that is the flagship property of FBNNational, a company under ALC Group of Companies. The network is headquartered at the FBN Building in Quezon City, with additional offices and production facilities in 16 major cities including Baguio, Iriga, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao. FBN is formally referred to as **"The *Kapambansa* Network"**, *kapambansa* is a Filipino term which means a member of a nation, is originally introduced in 2014. It is the largest television network in the country in terms of revenues, assets, and international coverage.

FBN is the fifth television broadcaster in the Philippines. It is also the best television network in the Philippines with advertising revenues of 15.183 billion pesos for the fiscal year of 2017.

Today, the flagship television station of FBN is DZKB-TV (FBN 9 Manila). The network operates across the Philippine archipelago through FBN owned television stations division which controls 58 television stations. Its programs are also available outside the Philippines through the global subscription television channel FBN World. Since 2016, the network is on test broadcast for digital terrestrial television using the Japanese standard ISDB-T in select areas in the Philippines. On January 1, 2018, FBN started to broadcast in high-definition through its affiliate direct-to-home cable and satellite television providers.

## History

### **As Kanlaon Broadcasting System (1960-1975)**

The congress of the Philippines approved the franchise of Radio Philippine Network on June 19, 1960. Instead of using its franchise name, the network instead first used Kanlaon Broadcasting System as its initial branding. Kanlaon is a volcano on the Philippine island of Negros, the home of its founder Roberto Benedicto. Kanlaon Broadcasting System started broadcasting as a radio network with its first station DZBI in Manila. By 1967, KBS had metamorphosed into a full network, with seven radio stations all over the country namely, DZRR and DZAX in Manila, DZAH and DZBS in Baguio, DZTG in Tuguegarao, DZRL in Laoag (later moved to Batac), and DXDX in General Santos. Philippine radio veteran Ben Aniceto was the operations director at the time.

The broadcast network ventured into television broadcasting on October 15, 1969 with the launch of KBS-9 Manila as the network's flagship TV station. KBS-12 Baguio was also signed on the air on the same year. Properties and funding for the nascent TV network partly came from ABS-CBN in the form of its old headquarters along Roxas Boulevard and equipment from Toshiba enabling them to broadcast in color. As a result, on its launch it was named *Accucolor 9* ("Accucolor" is the name of the color technology used) as the first Philippine television network to launch in full color.

In 1970, KBS also acquired a Color-ready Outside Broadcast Van for the remote broadcasts of major news events and sports coverages. It was also in the same year when KBS pioneered newscasting on television as they launched the first ever newspaper-format nightly newscast titled *NewsWatch*. Back then, broadcast hours were limited to late afternoons up to around midnight; except for Sundays, when the channel begins transmissions after midday.

In 1971, KBS inaugurated as an all-colored TV network, with four high powered stations in Baguio (KBS-12), Bicol (KBS-10), Bacolod (KBS-8), and Cebu (KBS-9).

In September 1972, the KBS television and radio stations, and its sister publication *Daily Express* under the Benedicto group were allowed to operate during the martial law period, where most of the media outfits were closed down. Color production with enable the government to invest in RPN for color coverages for national events, as then state network GTV (today the People's Television Network), which began two years later, was mostly monochrome before its first color broadcasts in 1976.

### **The First Radio Philippines Network (1975-1989)**

#### **Benedicto ownership (1975-1986)**

In 1975, KBS formally re-launched as RPN, the acronym for its franchise name. Radio Philippines Network (the RPN name was first used in the provincial stations before the RPN brand would later be used for the Manila station as well; the KBS name was also used for other aspects such as KBS Sports until 1986). The network covered special events such as the Olympic Games (it is also the first sporting coverage to broadcast in full color), Thrilla in Manila in 1975, and the Miss Universe Pageant held in Manila in 1974; and programs such as *John en Marsha*, *Flordeluna*, *Superstar* (formerly known as *The Nora Aunor-Eddie Peregrina Show*). RPN became the birthplace and the first humble abode of the now longest running daytime variety show *Eat Bulaga!* (premiering in 1979); and the popular and most watched longest running game show on Philippine television *Family Kuarta o Kahon* hosted by Pepe Pimentel (originally aired on ABS-CBN then BBC-2); which it ran for almost 38 years until it finally folded up during the year 2000. PBC also pioneered the TV newscasting as they launched the first ever newspaper-format nightly newscast titled *NewsWatch*. The network also pioneered the use of computer graphics for their program plugs and station IDs as well as its broadcast of the ubiquitous digital clock shown on the lower leftmost part of the screen during the entire broadcast day except for commercials, station ID, and during sign-off, and after the fire that razed its first studios on June 6, 1973, RPN moved to the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in the same year, and to its current RPN Building (now FBN Building) home in July 1978.

RPN also aired anime programming (making them one of the first to do so in the country) and imported and syndicated programs from the United States. RPN-9 is the first network to cover the Philippine Basketball Association games live in 1976, before the broadcasts moved on to BBC-2.

In 1980, RPN began to broadcast primetime programs and *Eat Bulaga* (when it was still with the network) through its new domestic satellite (DOMSAT) technology in which the 1980s logo resembles a satellite antenna. This made RPN the first national network to achieve nationwide program simulcasting via satellite.

The network also became home to, from 1978 up to the early 1980s, the Super Sentai series (making it the first in the Philippines to do so, becoming a pioneer in broadcasting tokusatsu and sentai programs in the country in the process). These made it a reason for the network in 1982 to adopt *The Leader* as its official slogan, coupled with its Number 9 and the red corporate logos (the latter which is still the current logo of the network up to this day), due to its massive successes as the nation's number one network. In 1986, after the assumption of office of President Corazon C. Aquino, the government sequestered Radio Philippines Network for allegedly being part of the crony capitalism under the Marcos regime. By then, it was the leading network in the Philippines cornering the highest audience share in the entire country.

### **First Downfall, Sequestration (1986-1989)**

After the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, some of the stock and assets of RPN, all of the stock and assets of IBC and Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation were sequestered by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). President Corazon Aquino awarded BBC's Channel 2 frequency and its affiliates, through an executive order, to ABS-CBN, and RPN's and IBC's assets were turned over to the Government Communications Group. This was a period when the network lost much of its viewership to GMA Radio-Television Arts, which had rose as the leader in 1986, and PTV, another government-owned network, causing its ratings to slump, thus tarnishing RPN's popularity.

This decline was worsened when one of its pre-1972 rivals, ABS-CBN, which struggled in the ratings upon its reopening in 1986, got a ratings boost in 1987, triggering an unfaltering ascent to No. 1 in 1988, causing RPN to fall to 4th place.

During the post-EDSA Revolution era, RPN launched the first Filipino-created animated series, Ang Panday. By 1989, some of RPN's programming such as *John en Marsha*, *Student Canteen*, and *Superstar* ended, and TAPE's daytime programs *Eat Bulaga!*, *Agila*. and *Coney Reyes on Camera* (a co-production with Coney Reyes' CAN Television) moved under a co-production agreement to ABS-CBN, as they saw the resurgent network as a vital element in the sustaining of the three shows' success. During this period, it was already clear that RPN was losing its status as a premier broadcaster, resulting in its "The Leader" slogan to lose its purpose.

### **New Vision 9 (1989-1994)**

In 1989, the network was relaunched into the "New Vision 9" brand to recoup lost audience share in the ratings game of  Philippine television networks. At the same year, New Vision 9 transmitter's effective radiated power was increased to 1 million watts for a clearer and better signal reception. The rebrand was took place after NBS and Syndicated Media Access Corporation (SMAC) took over the network's management and marketing. It became the third re-branding of the network. The reformat and re-branding instead made history for the network as it pioneered 24-hour television broadcasting in the Philippines.

At the same year in 1989, Andy Santillan joins RPN as a residential announcer when the network becomes New Vision 9.

### **Telenovela Dominance; World-class Primetime Programming (1994-2002)**

In 1994, New Vision 9 was renamed back as RPN and in the same year, RPN became the second television network in the Philippines to broadcast in full surround stereo (after GMA Network introduced StereoVision in 1987). In 1996, though, the network quickly re-gained its footing when it began to broadcast a Tagalog dub of the Mexican telenovela *Marimar*, which turned out to be a phenomenal success, and discombobulating the competition. The network became the driving force in Tagalog-dubbed foreign programs and movies and made the popular and turnaround its ratings on the evening prime time. Due to the success, the other networks followed and broadcast telenovelas not only from Mexico but also Spanish language telenovelas from the United States, Colombia (GMA 7's *Betty La Fea*), Venezuela (GMA 7's *Samantha* and *All My Love*) and Argentina (GMA 7's *Monica Brava*) and eventually even drama series from Brazil (ABS-CBN's *Ana Manuela*) and Asian drama series from Taiwan (notably *Meteor Garden*) and South Korea (notably *Bright Girl*). The network also became the home of the cream of the crop amongst the English language television programs around the world; with its strong primetime programming line-up, consisting of some of the most awarded and most nominated American TV shows such as *Ally McBeal*, *NYPD Blue*, *Dharma and Greg*, and *The X Files*.

### **Second Downfall (2003-2007)**

By mid-2000s, a major network war in the ratings game ensued with the broadcast of Taiwanese/Korean-language television series (which kicked off with ABS-CBN's broadcast of Taiwanese Meteor Garden) by the two superior leading networks, ABS-CBN and GMA Network, causing RPN into decline in the telenovelas battle.

RPN renewed its congressional franchise for another 25 years on February 19, 2004. Under Philippine law, no broadcast company will operate without franchise from Philippine congress, an authority that limits and regulates operations of telecommunications and broadcast media such as televisions and radios. It was also in the same year when the network launched its primetime block, dubbed as *The Prime Shift*, blocktimed by Solar Entertainment Corporation. The said programming block lasted until 2006.

### **Solar Entertainment (2007-2014)**

#### **Blocktime with Solar, As C/S; C/S9; Solar TV (2007-2011)**

On March 11, 2007, RPN began a partnership with the Solar Entertainment Corporation, an operator of a number of cable channels in the country. The company began co-producing new programming for the network, such as a local version of the *Next Top Model* franchise. The network underwent management changes on December 24, 2007, as Tonypet Albano (undersecretary and executive director of Malacañang's Office of Political Coalition Affairs and Deputy Spokesperson of TEAM Unity, now Vice-Governor of the Province of Isabela) was appointed chairman of the network (replacing Education Undersecretary Mona Valisno, incumbent Presidential Assistant for Education). Undersecretary Robert Rivera was appointed director of the board, while the president and chief executive officer became former senator Orlando "Orly" Mercado.

Mercado's first major move was to expand their partnerships with Solar Entertainment. Programming from Solar's cable network C/S was added to RPN's lineup at the beginning of the new year, and PBA basketball would also return to the network beginning in the 2008-09 season, as part of Solar Sports' new three-year deal with the league after an intense bidding war with ABS-CBN.

In October 2008, RPN's stations ultimately took on the C/S name as part of their permanent branding, and rebranded itself as C/S 9. The C/S 9 name would not last, on November 29, 2009, the network re-branded again under the new name Solar TV. In late 2010, it was revealed that RPN would no longer carry PBA games, due to planned re-launch to occur in 2011, with more "feminine" programming.

#### **As ETC (2011-2013)**

In 2010, National Telecommunication Commision began to actively consider privatizing RPN and IBC. Ricardo Abcede, member of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, supported the plans, noting that the government should not need to subsidize three state broadcasters when most countries only have one, and could gain a significant profit if they were sold to a major company willing to invest in the stations.

In January 2011, reports confirmed that Solar Entertainment and Roberto Benedicto's daughter Kitchie Benedicto now owned a 34% minority share in RPN. Communications and Operation Office secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. also began to hold meetings with the network's employees union to discuss the financial state of RPN as part of the planned privatization. On February 22, 2011, RPN's employees filed a strike notice, protesting a rumored shutdown of RPN on February 25, and accusing the government of attempting to privatize RPN without actively consulting its employees.

On February 25, 2011, RPN was relaunched as ETC on March 2, 2011. Additional shares in RPN were sold to Far East Managers and Investors Inc. (FEMI), an organization company affiliated with Ambassador Roberto Benedicto (founder of RPN), and the San Miguel Corporation. The government would retain the People's Television Network to serve as the sole state broadcaster of the country. However, due to privatization, RPN is forced to retrench 200 employees and stopping the production of *RPN NewsWatch*, its last RPN-produced program, on October 29, 2012 as Solar TV takes over the entire RPN's airtime.

#### **As Solar News Channel (2013-2014)**

In November 2013, San Miguel Corporation President and COO Ramon S. Ang declares interest in acquiring Solar Television Network and its stake on RPN but instead acquire a minority stake of the network.

On November 30, 2013, ETC returned to SBN while Solar News Channel launched on RPN since the following day to improve its nationwide telecast. (SBN broadcast ETC from 2008-2011)

### ***Kapambansa* network (2014-Present)**

On January 3, 2014, RPN and Aliw Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) signed a memorandum of agreement for the expanded coverage of the both TV and radio networks nationwide. Selected DWIZ programs will be simulcast on the Radyo Ronda Network.

On August 20, 2014, Solar Entertainment Corporation chief Wilson Tieng announced that he ceded his entire share on Solar TV Network, Inc., including its 34% majority share on RPN, to Antonio Cabangon Chua (he died almost 2 years later on March 11, 2016), owner of business daily *BusinessMirror* and Aliw Broadcasting Corporation. Tieng sold Solar TV because they are losing money for operations and he will be focusing instead on the remaining television channels he personally owned through Solar Entertainment.

To reflect the change of ownership, on August 13, 2014, Solar Television Network and RPN announced the rebranding of RPN into 9TV by August 23, dropping the "Solar" branding, and launched its present brand name, "Kapambansa" (literally means "a member of the nation"). 9TV retained the news and current affairs programming while expanding its weekend programming to cater more audiences with the launching of "Kids Weekend", "Small Acts, Big Stories", "Something to Chew On" and "Boys Ride Out".

However, the 9TV branding is only a transitional brand to separate "what is Tieng's (the former owner) and what is Cabangon-Chua's". In October 14, 2014, RPNI proposed to rename 9TV into FBN. FBN was officially renamed on March 16, 2015, the seventh rebrand of Radio Philippines Network since its inception as KBS. It dropped the transitional brand 9TV after seven months of operations under such brand.

On June 29, 2018, FBN launched its new slogan "Buong Bansa para Sa Kapambansa" (English: Whole country for *Kapambansa*) with a new station ID. However, the network's current station ID in short version during the top/bottom of the hour before start the programs as well as during commercial breaks/reminders it also aired on its sister channel, FBN Sports TV.

## FBN Owned Television Stations

*Main article: List of FBN stations*
FBN Owned Television Stations is the regional network division of FBN. It is responsible for simultaneously airing most of the shows seen on FBN's flagship station in the provinces. FBN Owned Television Stations has several stations in each region outside Mega Manila to ensure nationwide coverage. The local stations also produce their own newscasts which air prior to TV Patrol and other local programming which air on Sundays. The launch of the local game show *VisWin!* in the Visayas and Mindanao. Eight regional news programs provided more relevance to regional audiences.

Since August 2018, to align with Manila's digitization of operations, the network imposed series of realignment to FBN Owned Television Stations. The move forced most of its weekend programming to get axed, including shows like *VisWin!*, *Regional Express*, and *AgriCultura.* The network, however, managed to expand Baguio operations at the same month by expanding its local Arangkada Balita service to the entire Northern Luzon region.

## Programming

*Main article: List of programs broadcast by FBN*
The majority of the programs shown on the network are created by FBNNational's division. FBN Entertainment is responsible for original programs ranging from musical and variety shows, showbiz, lifestyle, and comedy talk shows, comedy, and gag shows, and sitcoms. Original and adapted telenovelas and drama anthologies are produced by Secarats Talent Management Services, National Drama and other production drama units created by FBN, while news, public service, and documentary programs are produced by FBN News and by other independent production outfits. FBN also acquires and syndicates program formats from abroad, most of which are reality shows. FBN also shows regional programs, TV specials, sporting and awarding events.

## Digital transition

### **Digital terrestrial television**

*Main article: Sky TV+*
FBNNational initially applied for a license from the Nation Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to operate a digital terrestrial television service in the coutnry in 2010, IBC planned to utilize multiplex to offer FBN, FBN Sports TV and six additional specialty TV channels. The conglomerate is expected to spend at least 1 billion pesos annually for the next 5 years for its DTT transition. FBN utilized UHF channel 19 Manila (503.143 MHz) for test broadcasts in the DVB-T format. FBN was expected to begin digital test broadcasts in August 2010.

In June 2010, the NTC announced that it would formally adopt the Japanese standard ISDB-T for digital broadcasting and issued a circular commanding all the country's television networks to switch-off their analog services on December 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8). But due to delay of the release of the implementing rules and regulations for digital television broadcast, the target date was moved to 2023.

In February 2014, FBNNational announced further details about its DTT plans, which would offer FBN and FBN Sports TV). In addition, six new channels which will be exclusively available to its digital users will be offered once the digital broadcast start. The specialty TV channel line-up will include one news channel, one youth-oriented channel, and an archive channel. The sequestered is also planning to utilize the 1seg (one segment) broadcast standard for handheld devices.

In 2015, FBN transferred from UHF channel 19 (503.143 MHz) to UHF channel 47 (671.143 MHz).

On December 6, 2017, FBN soft-launched its DTT service started selling ISDB-T receivers in selected barangays in Metro Manila under DTV brand. Later, it was rebranded as Sky TV+.

On May 25, 2018, FBN formally launched its DTT service under the name Sky TV+ in a formal switch-over ceremony held at the FBN Building. The Sky TV+ service has four exclusive TV channels which are free of charged, these are movie channel Cinema House, news channel DZNN RadyoBisyon, educational channel EduChannel and kids channel Toon TV. In addition to FBN and FBN Sports TV, all non-encrypted digital terrestrial broadcast within the area is also carried by the service. Sky TV+ also provides pay per view, EWBS, and BML services.

### **High-definition television**

On January 1, 2018, FBN launched a high-definition feed in Sky TV+, SkyCable and Destiny Cable under the name FBN HD. This marked the Philippines' second commercial television network to be launched in high-definition. The said channel will broadcast selected shows of FBN in true high-definition picture while the remaining shows will be broadcast in upscaled standard definition picture with pillarbox to preserve its original 4:3 aspect ratio. FBN HD was also made available on Sky Direct, UBA, and Sky On Demand.

### **Tapeless**

The conglomerate invested in a tapeless technology from EVP, a first of its kind in Southeast Asia. it provided the network a non-linear post production workflow and wireless access on remote areas via media access management system utilizing the HD OB Van and Xt(2) provided in partnership with EVS and with the integration with WAM, Pacific, Inc. and Avid Technology and through Wi-Fi network.

### **Digital archiving**

FBNNational started digitizing its content in 2010 when invested in a 3 million dollar deal with IBM Corporation that includes a hardware infrastructure support and 2 petabytes (2000 terabytes) of storage capacity that is expected to grow by 30% over the years as FBN generating over 500 hours of content a month. The technology, 13 million dollar deal integration with Dalet Digital Media Systemsa and Adiv Unity ISIS (Infinitely Scalable Intelligent Storage) will enable FBN to digitize and store its over 13,000 hours of television content and its library of over 2000 films. The Big Dipper Digital Content & Design, Inc. is the subsidiary that oversees all of its digital assets.

## Competition

In 2017, FBN became the most watched television networks in urban Philippines. Moreover, the data released by AGB Nielsen show the Total Urban Philippine ratings (National Urban Television Audience Market), which favors FBN while Kantar Media releases the Total Philippines ratings (National Urban and Rural Households), which favors ABS-CBN.

## FBN Website

The FBN Website is another initiative of FBN to reach out to all Filipinos worldwide using the internet.

## See also

* FBNNational
* Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation
* People's Television Network
* Philippine Broadcasting Service

## References

1. ↑ "Cabangon-Chua group set to take over RPN-9". August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
2. ↑ International TV Directory|publisher=TV Factbook|date=1970
3. ↑ "Manila Standard - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 20 April 2015.
4. ↑ ABS-CBN Interactive, Tonypet Albano is new RPN-9 chief
5. ↑ "SOLAR SPORTS BAGS 3-YEAR PBA TV DEAL". PBA official website. 2008-05-27. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
6. ↑ Macamay, Zean (2008-05-28). "Solar gets it". People's Journal. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
7. ↑ Solar drops PBA for 'feminine' programs Archived 2010-12-10 at the Wayback Machine., Musong R. Castillo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 8, 2010
8. ↑ PCGG urges gov't to fast-track sale of RPN-9, IBC-13 *ABS-CBNnews.com.* 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
9. ↑ Romualdez, Babe. "Spy Bits: RPN 9 a done deal?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Malacanang sets dialogue with RPN-9 union *ABS-CBNnews.com.* 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
11. ↑ RPN 9 workers file notice of strike *InterAksyon.com* 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
12. ↑ RPN 9 two labor unions file notice of strike, seek Noy's intervention Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine. *The Daily Tribiune* 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lo, Ricardo F. "ETC on RPN-9 starting March 2" The Philippine Star. Retrieved 20 May 2012. Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "etc-rpn" defined multiple times with different content
14. ↑ San Miguel to join bidding for RPN-9, IBC-13 philSTAR.com 03-06-2011. Retrieved 03-06-2011.
15. ↑ San Miguel Corp. announces plan to bid for RPN-9 and IBC-13 PEP.ph 03-06-2011. Retrieved 03-06-2011.
16. ↑ - RPN-9 to cut 200 jobs, may stop airing 'Newswatch' retrieved August 18, 2014
17. ↑ - TV network hopeful on Ramon Ang retrieved August 18, 2014
18. ↑ "MVP-Ang rivalry set to spill over into television with San Miguel acquisition of Solar stake". November 9, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
19. ↑ ETC MOVES TO SBN-21 STARTING NOVEMBER 30 Archived 2014-05-01 at the Wayback Machine.
20. ↑ Solar News Channel - Expect wider reach and a richer viewing experience retrieved November 5, 2013
21. ↑ "Solar News on free TV, moves to channel 9". Retrieved 20 April 2015.
22. ↑ "FBN". Retrieved 20 April 2015.
23. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-04. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
24. ↑ BusinessMirror owner acquires majority stake in RPN9 [1] retrieved August 20, 2014
25. ↑ Cabangon-Chua acquires RPN-9 retrieved August 21, 2014
26. ↑ EXCLUSIVE | BusinessMirror owner acquires majority stake in RPN9 Archived 2014-08-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 20, 2014
27. ↑ - Solar News Channel turns into 9TV retrieved August 14, 2014
28. ↑ Nine Media to rename as FBN retrieved October 14, 2014