DWEY

DWEY (104.7 FM), branded as 104.7 Brigada News FM National-Southern Tagalog, is a news and music FM radio station owned and operated by Brigada Mass Media Corporation in the Philippines. The main broadcast studio, news center and marketing offices are located at the 5th Floor Jacinta Building 2, #1840 EDSA, Brgy. Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City, and its transmitter is located at Brgy. Talumpok East, Mt. Banoy, Batangas City.

It is heard in major areas in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon Province, Marinduque, Camarines Norte and most of Mindoro and Romblon. However, Batangas serves as the station's broadcast core (as well as frequency spacing regulations per broadcast market).

History and development

Bay Radio era (1998-2013) 
It was formerly known as Bay Radio 104.7, the second FM radio station in Batangas, owned by Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation, launched in 1998, operating everyday from 4 am to 12 midnight.

One of the notable activities of the station was its Hataw sa Tag-Araw done every February to June where its regular programming switches to summer-oriented shows. 2013 was its last iteration prior to acquisition.

In October 1, 2013, the station became part of Brigada Mass Media Corporation's acquisition and 100% gradual take-over of Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation then later underwent a soft launch with the borrowed Brigada News FM and Healthline plugs and stingers effective October 28. On February 1, 2014, 104.7 FM underwent a test broadcast with the acquisition of better transmitting facilities. On February 24, 2014, 104.7 FM formally relaunched as Brigada News FM.

Under new management 
Since the launching date, Brigada News FM had five iterations with its brand.

Brigada continued to use the old Bay Radio studio as 104.7 Brigada News FM Batangas from launch date until April 25, 2014. At that time, its studios were located at the 2nd Floor, First Crown Building, D. Silang corner Evangelista Streets. Batangas City and the broadcast team was purely consisted of the remaining Bay Radio hold-overs. However, it mostly contained music programs and taped Brigada Healthline blocktimes. It was only during the 1st quarter of 2014 that they started simulcasting Brigada Connection from its sister station in General Santos City as a dry run. In mid-April, the station went to another period of test broadcasts, this time, with its Manila link.

Transfer of studios 
On April 28, 2014, Brigada began its operations at the Manila studio as 104.7 Brigada News FM Mega Manila, but retaining its old Batangas studio as a technical facility relaying the entire Manila newscenter. Former Bombo Radyo reporters and anchors from its Makati City studio and Tacloban City were shipped in to lead the first day of the station and form Manila's branch of Brigada News Team. The station also refurbished its audio system through the acquisition of the most advanced state of the art broadcast transmitter and antenna systems from Quark Electronics, that transmits the maximum authorized power and top of the line audio processing equipment called “OMNIA 11”.

Brigada also expanded to a 24/7 station and completed power upgrades from 5 kW to 25 kW (ERP of 127.66 kW) with its move to Manila.

Major developments 
On May 22, 2014, the station started simulcasting Brigada Phone Tap (later rebranded to The Baby Nicole Show) from Cebu. It further bolstered the prominence of the kid sensation Baby Nicole, who has been enjoying popularity in the Cebuano-speaking Visayas and Mindanao.

Weng dela Peña of DZXL 558 formally joined the team on May 26, 2014. With his arrival, minor timeslot adjustments on news programs was adopted. A week later, Brigada Connection's originating broadcast transferred to Mega Manila from General Santos City. The Mega Manila identification was also dropped and changed into National Broadcast Center. On June 16, 2014, Dennis Padilla joined the team, along with his program, Eat All You Can, from DZXL 558. Two weeks later, former RMN News Nationwide executive producer and DZXL anchor, Leo Navarro, joined the growing news team.

July 2014 saw many changes in the station. On July 5, 2014, Brigada Weekend Joy started its full-blown nationwide simulcast. Brigada Connection added a one-hour afternoon edition simulcast as a supplement to its morning edition. Brigada Balita also expanded to add a noontime edition. Sandy Madarcos and Aika Constantino from Brigada News FM Lucena were also brought to Manila. The station also started to bolster its Sunday programming with the debut of The Morning Sun-Gay Show running at 4:00 am and Quotes Ko 'To! at 4:00 pm. They started simulcasting Cebu City's Malala na Kaya with Kuya Helen every Sunday at 9:00 am. On July 21, 2014, the National Broadcast Center ident was simply shortened to National citing the lengthy brand was too long to identify itself.

August 2014 saw the expansion of Brigada Connection morning slot from a half-hour to 40 minutes to accommodate more provincial reporters. Former CALABARZON stringer Jamielee de Castro of DZXL 558 was added to Brigada News Team as Batangas roving stringer.

On September 1, 2014 there was a programming change. The local Brigada Balita and Brigada Connection was fused to Brigada Balita Nationwide but cutting its afternoon edition to 30 minutes. DriveMax Nationwide expanded to three hours, giving Byaheng Brigada a limited 30-minute slot. At the end of the month, Ley-Mar Baguio-Mamita and Rocky Sigues were reassigned to Brigada News FM Puerto Princesa with the former assuming the post of station manager, while Aika Constantino moved to Daet as its main stringer. Puerto Princesa mainstay Sheryl Ann Aldave moved to Mega Manila. The station also dropped its frequency identification on September 29.

November 2014 saw the return of Brigada Connection on a separate slot, distinct of its earlier iteration prior to Brigada Balita Nationwide and transfer of Glenn Parungao of 102.7 Star FM. Quotes Ko 'To! was replaced by Magpa-MP in its afternoon slot after the latter's debut in the morning block as a dry run last October.

December 2014 saw program changes with the departure of Eat All You Can. It also went into an almost non-stop coverage of Typhoon Ruby (international name, Hagupit) from December 6-9, 2014, airing nationwide.

Brigada News FM stations

References

External links 
 

OPM formatted radio stations in the Philippines
News and talk radio stations in the Philippines
Radio stations established in 1998
Radio stations in Metro Manila
Radio stations in Batangas