DYBQ now on regular broadcast

Ooops! Forgot to update... DYBQ Radyo Budyong is now on regular broadcast... The famous morning radio talkshow "Budyong Kapehan" is also back on air with Cora Paniergo as host. The popular evening primetime program which made Cora Paniergo popular in the late 80s "Kontrobersyal nga Balita" is also back on air. Also heard on the newly-relaunched station are veteran broadcasters Boy Amalay and Art Calsas, and IBC mainstays Bing-bing Josue, Rena Manubag, and Robert Nem...

Ilonggo listeners have poor taste?

It is said that radio listeners in Iloilo City have a poor taste or "buki" (the term used for somebody who belongs to class C, D, E). This is manifested by the format of major FM radio stations operating in the city which is mostly pop catering to class C, D, E listeners. The only exceptions are Home Radio 89.5, Easy Rock 92.3 (formerly Yes-FM also a pop music station), RJ100 (which is a relay station) and NU107 (also a relay station).

Not too long ago Iloilo City has its Jazz music station Magic 911, the forerunner of MOR 91.1, but it did not last long. Probably, it did not attract many listeners.

On the contrary, Bacolod City listeners seem to have a different taste as far as music is concerned. Why? Well, they have Crossover 99.1, an all jazz music station; and Killer Bee 106.3, a hip-hop and R&B station. Before, they also have the classy Jamie 102.3 (now no longer on air) and W-Rock 96.7 (before the station was bought by the Elizaldes and changed to Easy Rock).

Thanks, there are now low power FM stations offering a new brand of programming to listeners like 105.9 The Beat.

Comebacking DYBQ now on test broadcast

DYBQ Radyo Budyong of the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC) is now having a test broadcast as it gears to return on the air before the elections. Heard on 981 kHz DYBQ has gone off the air for more than three years due to financial difficulties. DYBQ, DYJJ in Roxas City and DYRG in Kalibo, Aklan are the remaining radio stations of IBC, a government-owned and controlled corporation. It also operates IBC TV-12 in Iloilo but the once powerful TV station now has a very poor signal.

DYBQ Radyo Budyong was a household name before the 1986 EDSA people power revolution. Manned by popular radio commentators and news reporters, it was then a top competitor of DYFM Bombo Radyo and DYRI Radyo Agong.

Veteran broadcaster Cora Paniergo-Robles leads the revival of DYBQ Radyo Budyong.

Tagalog-speaking DJs

FM radio disc jockeys (DJ) in the city have this habit of speaking in Tagalog (Filipino) even if they sound Hiligaynon or Ilonggo. I don't know why they're doing this, can't they greet their listeners or introduce the music they play in Hiligaynon? It's okay if the DJ is indeed Tagalog-speaking, but it is really very irritating to hear DJs speaking in Tagalog awkwardly. We're glad that at present FM stations no longer require their DJs to speak English entirely and use foreign sounding names, but then here comes Tagalog-speaking DJs who are very irritating to the ears! Let's be proud of our own dialect, use Hiligaynon... try speaking Tagalog to Cebuanos and they will answer you with their native tounge, the Binisaya (or Cebuano as we commonly call).

Text messaging on radio

Getting listener's reactions or feedback through text has become a fad among radio stations in the city particularly among public affairs programs. Radio announcers normally read whatever is written by the texter (mostly comments on certain issues) who does not even bother to give his/her identity. Comments range from tame to harsh... there are even anchormen who engage their listener/texter into an argument over certain matters, usually already out of the issue being discussed.

There are also radio stations which conduct polls or surveys among its listeners through text. But, how credible are the polls or surveys using text messaging? Well, in the first place we do not know what are the mechanics employed by the anchormen in determining texters to be included in the surveys. For instance, the issue pertains to the affairs of Iloilo City... who knows the texter is not a resident of the city but of another province. Remember the signal of radio stations reach other nearby provinces.

Another thing, considering that announcers don't mention the texter's number and in the absence of the texter's identification, we really don't know if the texters are the same persons sending text messages to the radio station again and again.

So, I think text messaging on radio should be limited only to greetings and tips or information... in the case of reactions or commentaries on certain issues I think radio stations should require the identification of the texter...

Radio & TV Stations operating in Bacolod City

AM stations
Manila Broadcasting Company - DYEZ (Aksyon Radyo) 684 kHz
Radio Mindanao Network - DYHB (Tatak RMN) 774 kHz
Philippine Radio Corp. - DYRL (Abyan Radyo) 1035 kHz
Catholic Media Network - DYAF (Veritas Bacolod) 1143 kHz
RGMA Network Inc. - DYSB (Super Radyo) 1179 kHz (relay of DZBB-Manila)
Far East Broadcasting Corp. - DYVS 1233 kHz
Consolidated Broadcasting System - DYWB (Bombo Radyo) 1269 kHz
Radio Philippines Network - DYKB (Radyo Ronda) 1404 kHz
FM stations
Southern Broadcasting Network - DYCP (Mom's Radio) 90.3 MHz
Manila Broadcasting Company - DYKS (Love Radio) 91.9 MHz
Univ. of Mindanao Broadcasting Network - DYWT (Wild FM) 92.7 MHz
Radio Mindanao Network - DYHT (I-FM) 94.3 MHz
Consolidated Broadcasting System - DYIF (Star FM) 95.5 MHz
Mareco Broadcasting Network - DYBM (Crossover) 99.1 MHz
Rajah Broadcasting Corp. - DYFJ (RJ100) 99.9 MHz (relay station)
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. - DYOO (MOR For Life) 101.5 MHz
Manila Broadcasting Company - Easy Rock 105.5 MHz
Quest Broadcasting Corp. - DYBE (Killer Bee) 106.3 MHz
RGMA Network Inc. - DYEN (Campus Radio) 107.1 MHz
TV stations
ABS-CBN Channel 4
SBN Channel 5
RPN Channel 8
GMA Channel 13
ABC Channel 32

Radio & TV stations operating in Iloilo City

AM stations
Philippine Broadcasting Service - DYLL (Radyo ng Bayan) 585 kHz
Manila Broadcasting Company - DYOK (Aksyon Radyo) 720 kHz
Radio Mindanao Network Inc. - DYRI (Tatak RMN) 774 kHz
Consolidated Broadcasting System - DYFM (Bombo Radyo) 837 kHz
RGMA Network Inc. - DYSI (Super Radyo) 1323 kHz
Manila Broadcasting Company - DZRH 1485 kHz (relay station)

FM stations
Aliw Broadcasting Corp. - DYQN (Home Radio) 89.5 MHz
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. - DYMC (MOR For Life) 91.1 MHz
Manila Broadcasting Co. - DYST (Easy Rock) 92.3 MHz
RGMA Network Inc. - DYMK (Campus Radio) 93.5 MHz
Radio Mindanao Network Inc. - DYIC (I-FM) 95.1 MHz
Manila Broadcasting Co. - DYMB (Love Radio) 97.5 MHz
Rajah Broadcasting Network - DYNJ (RJ100) 98.3 MHz (relay station)
Consolidated Broadcasting System - DYRF (Star FM) 99.5 MHz
San Agusting Broadcasting Corp. - DYOZ (Z100) 100.7 MHz
Hope 101.9 MHz (Seventh Day Adventist Church) *
CRES-FM 104.7 MHz (Central Radio Electronics School) *
The Beat 105.9 MHz *
106.7 MHz *
Progressive Broadcasting Corp. - DYNY (NU107) 107.9 (relay station)

*low power FM station

TV stations
NBN Channel 2
GMA Channel 6
ABS-CBN Channel 10
IBC Channel 12 (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp.)
Studio 23 Channel 38 (ABS-CBN)
UNTV Channel 42 (Progressive Broadcasting Corp.)

Note: There are FM radio stations outside of Iloilo City that can be heard in some parts of the city. These are: 94.7 DYMI from Calinog, 102.3 Radio X from Oton, and 103.5 Mix-FM also from Oton.