Radio Philippines Network, Inc. (RPN) is a Philippine television and radio company based in Quezon City. It is currently owned through majority share by Nine Media Corporation of the ALC Group of Companies, along with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Far East Managers and Investors Inc. (owned by the family of Roberto Benedicto), and other private shareholders. The network's main offices and flagship transmitter are located at Panay Avenue, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City. Founded by James Lindenberg, and before its privatization, it was the sister network of the current government-owned and controlled Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. Both networks were sequestered after the 1986 People Power Revolution, and they were formerly an attached agency of the now-PCO, which retained 20% of RPN's non-controlling shares following privatization.
Radio Philippines Network operates television stations with airtime leased by its parent Nine Media and content provider TV5 Network, serving as primary broadcasters of free-to-air television channel RPTV. RPN also operates regional AM radio stations under the brand Radyo Ronda, serving as a partial affiliate of its sister station DWIZ in Metro Manila.
History As Kanlaon Broadcasting System (1960–1975) Early years (1960–1972) Radio Philippines Network was founded on February 25, 1960, by James Lindenberg, who is also credited as the founder of ABS-CBN. RPN was officially established when the Congress of the Philippines approved its franchise on June 19, 1960.
RPN initially operated as a radio network, with its first station, DZBI, based in Manila. By 1967, RPN had expanded to seven radio stations nationwide; these included DZRR and DZAX in Manila, DZBS in Baguio, DZTG in Tuguegarao, DZRL in Laoag (later relocated to Batac), DXXX in Zamboanga, and DXDX in Barangay Dadiangas. Ben Aniceto served as operations director of RPN during this time.
In the late 1960s, Lindenberg sold the network to Roberto Benedicto. The network rebranded itself as the Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS)—named after Mount Kanlaon on the island of Negros, Benedicto's hometown. On October 15, 1969, the network launched its flagship television station, KBS-9 Manila. KBS-12 Baguio followed later that year.
KBS's initial properties and equipment came from ABS-CBN, including its old headquarters and studios on Roxas Boulevard, along with Toshiba equipment that enabled color broadcasting. As a result, KBS was branded as Accucolor 9, becoming the first Philippine television network to broadcast in full color.
In 1970, KBS acquired a color-capable OB van (outside broadcast van) for remote broadcasts of major events, including news and sports coverage. The network also launched the series NewsWatch, replacing the short-lived program KBS Eyewitness Reports. During this period, broadcast hours were limited to late afternoons through around midnight, Monday through Saturday, with transmissions starting after midday on Sundays.
By 1971, KBS had established itself as an all-color network, operating ten provincial stations. These were located in Baguio (KBS-12), Laoag (KBS-2), Bicol (KBS-10 in Iriga), Iloilo (KBS-2), Bacolod (KBS-8), Cebu (KBS-9 in Mandaue), Davao (KBS-4), General Santos (KBS-7), and Butuan (KBS-4)—in addition to its flagship station, KBS-9 Manila.
Martial law KBS years and takeover of ABS-CBN (1972–1975)
On September 23, 1972, the KBS television and radio stations, as well as the newspaper publication Philippines Daily Express—all belonging to the Roberto Benedicto group—were allowed to operate during the martial law period. The former aired Wacky Races and Francisco Tatad's reading of Proclamation No. 1081, when most media outfits were closed down after the declaration of martial law with this proclamation by Ferdinand Marcos.
On September 28, 1972, Marcos ordered the takeover of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation and turned its facilities over to KBS, controlled by Benedicto. ABS-CBN's facilities were later transferred from KBS to the government-owned Maharlika Broadcasting System. Crony-owned media companies broadcast or published news and entertainment meant to project a positive image of the dictatorship and to conceal its abuses.
In 1973, RPN brought the first slow-motion production machine to support live coverage of the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) basketball games. Color production with color-ready equipment enabled the government to invest in RPN for color coverage of national events, as then state network GTV (now PTV)—which began two years later after the start of martial law—was mostly monochrome before its first color broadcasts in 1976. In 1974, the KBS network grew with the opening of more stations in the following locations: Tuguegarao (KBS-9), Bayombong (KBS-7), Legazpi (KBS-2), Palawan (KBS-5), Roxas (KBS-7), Dumaguete (KBS-5 moved to RPN-8), Tacloban (KBS-5), Zamboanga (KBS-5), Dipolog (KBS-5), Pagadian (KBS-5), Ozamiz (KBS-13), Cagayan de Oro (KBS-5), Surigao (KBS-4) and Cotabato (KBS-10).
The first Radio Philippines Network (1975–1989) Benedicto ownership (1975–1986)
In 1975, KBS was formally relaunched as RPN—the acronym for its franchise name, Radio Philippines Network. The RPN name was first used in provincial stations, before the RPN brand was later used for the Manila station as well; the KBS name was also used for other aspects of the network, such as KBS Sports until 1986.
The network covered special events such as the Olympic Games (the first sporting coverage to broadcast in full color) and the boxing match Thrilla in Manila in 1975. In addition, the network became the official broadcaster for the Miss Universe pageant held in Manila in 1974, and the first Metropop Song Festival and its succeeding editions from 1978. The network also headlined some top-rated programs such as John en Marsha (which both the media and academe regarded as the paradigm of development communication), Flordeluna, and Superstar (formerly known as The Nora Aunor-Eddie Peregrina Show). RPN was the birthplace and the first home of the now longest-running daytime variety show Eat Bulaga! (premiering in 1979). The network also headlined the longest-running game show on Philippine television, Family Kuarta o Kahon, hosted by Pepe Pimentel (originally airing on ABS-CBN, and then BBC-2); this program had enjoyed a successful 38-year run until the network finally canceled it in 2000.
The network pioneered the use of computer graphics for its program plugs and station IDs. It also became the only network in the country known for broadcasting an easily recognizable digital clock; this was embedded in the lower left part of the screen during the entire broadcast day except for newscasts, commercials, continuity plugs, station identification, and sign-off. This clock eventually became the centerpiece of the network's broadcasts for 32 years (starting in 1975); viewers had been setting their watches and clocks by RPN for many years, until that clock was abandoned at the end of 2007. After the fire that razed RPN's first studios on June 6, 1973, the network moved to the Broadcast Plaza (now ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center) that same year, and then to its current home in Broadcast City in July 1978, alongside sister networks Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).
RPN also aired anime (Japanese animation) and syndicated programs from the United States. RPN was the first network to cover Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games live in 1975 (and 1977), before these broadcasts moved to BBC in 1976.
On January 15, 1980, RPN began to broadcast primetime programs through its new domestic satellite technology (DOMSAT), in which the 1980s logo resembles a satellite antenna.Roa, J. N. (September 25, 1982). RPN-9 CEBU: THE LEADER. (M. S. Jr., Ed.) Vistas Weekly, pp. 32–33. Retrieved May 10, 2019. On May 18, 1982, Eat Bulaga! was also included in the list of the network's programs simulcast via DOMSAT. As a result, RPN was the first national network to achieve nationwide program simulcasting via satellite in 24 television stations across the Philippines.
In addition, the network was the home of the Japanese Super Sentai series and tokusatsu programs from 1978 until the early 1980s. In 1981, the network adopted The Leader as its official slogan, coupled with its number 9, the red corporate logo (which is the network's current logo) and the theme composed by Domeng Amarillo. In 1986, after President Corazon Aquino assumed office, the government sequestered Radio Philippines Network for allegedly being part of crony capitalism under the Marcos regime. During the live broadcast of Marcos' inauguration from the Malacañang Palace during the final day of the People Power Revolution, rebels shut down the RPN transmitter on Panay Avenue; the network resumed broadcasts again on March 3, 1986.
First decline and sequestration (1986–1989) After the People Power Revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino as president in February 1986, the stock and assets of RPN, IBC, and BBC 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. RPN's and IBC's assets were turned over to the Government Communications Group and placed under the management of a board of administrators, who were tasked with operating and managing its business and affairs, subject to control and supervision by the PCGG.
RPN experienced a major decline during this period, as its resources became outdated and endured major mismanagement, which led the network to either shut down or sell its stations. From being number one in the ratings, RPN's ratings slumped because of the growth of GMA Radio-Television Arts and PTV—and more importantly, as a result of ABS-CBN's meteoric rise to the number one spot in 1988.
During the era after the People Power Revolution, RPN launched the first Filipino-created animated series, Ang Panday. By 1989, some of RPN's programming—such as John en Marsha and Superstar—was canceled; TAPE Inc.'s daytime programs Eat Bulaga!, Agila, and Coney Reyes on Camera (a coproduction with Coney Reyes' CAN Television) moved under a coproduction agreement to ABS-CBN, as it saw the resurgent network as a vital element in sustaining the three shows' success. By then, the once-dominant RPN had fallen to fourth place, trailing far behind ABS-CBN and GMA, and locked in a losing battle with PTV for third place.
New Vision 9 (1989–1994) On October 8, 1989, RPN was renamed as New Vision 9 to recoup lost audience share in the ratings game of Philippine television networks. That same year, the network transmitter's effective radiated power was increased to 1 million watts, resulting in clearer and better signal reception in the Greater Luzon Area. The rebranding took place after RPN and Syndicated Media Access Corporation (SMAC) took over the network's management and marketing. The rebranding, although it proved futile for turning around RPN's ratings, did make history for the network, as it pioneered 24-hour television broadcasting in the Philippines. During the latter part of the New Vision 9 era, the network's ratings sank further, ranking last in primetime (behind ABS-CBN, GMA, ABC, IBC, and PTV). Worse yet, RPN's nationwide reach suffered along with its television network. In 1989, it consisted of 24 television stations nationwide (8 originating stations and 16 relay stations).
By that time, RPN needed to deal not only with the continued dominance of ABS-CBN and GMA, but also with the return of another station shut down during martial law—Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC)—and the onset of cable and ultrahigh frequency (UHF) channels. These channels began to absorb the audience share of the least-watched networks.