On the first day of August this year, a new breed of station landed on the first spot of Davao City’s radio dial.
DXRP-FM or FM1 Davao is dubbed as “the first frequency on the Philippine FM band”, for it occupies the 87.5 kHz frequency, the last frequency available for transmission. It is owned by the Philippine government through the Philippine Broadcasting System managed under the Presidential Communications Operation Office.
FM1 will serve as flagship music for the “millennials” and those people who refuse to grow up, as the station will be offering a Top 40/pop-oriented radio format (a first of its own for government radio). The station will also feature a good balance of foreign and OPM talents.
In an online interview with radio veteran Rizal “Bong” Aportadera Jr. (known as “Sonny B” on-air), FM1’s aim is to send the message to the public, by utilizing music as a primary medium.
“We will be introducing new ways of messaging, that will endear the young to be active, be informed, and be part of nation building,” Aportadera said.
Sonny B, currently the Director General of PBS, is joined by other big names in the radio industry. Carlo Jose Villo (formerly “Carlo Jose” on Magic 89.9 Manila) serves as PBS Deputy Director-General. Joining the roster to run the station are respected radio personalities in Davao City, including Station Manager Harriet Seniel a.k.a. “Joe Fisher” (previously from Magic 89.1 Davao), Program Director Joey Sy-Domingo (previously from Mix FM 105.9 and Oomph Radio 97.1) and Marketing Manager Maurice Abella (also previously from Magic 89.1 Davao).
Considering the target market is quite a challenge, Sonny B admitted. With the existence of digital streaming sites such as Spotify, iTunes and even YouTube for that matter, he believes that FM1’s edge is that the station’s “commercial free” advantage is the perfect answer against online streaming services. The station will also have a “less talk, more music spree” as its unique selling proposition.
On why naming FM1 as such, Aportadera felt that it was easier for retention. “We just wanted to simplify everything. We feel the need to make things easier for everyone,” Aportadera explained.
Before reaching Davao, FM1 ran a test broadcast in Metro Manila last November 1, 2017. Months after, 87.5 FM in Davao was occupied by Radyo Pilipinas (DXRP 675 kHz), another PBS operated AM station, before transitioning to FM1 Davao.
During the first nine months of operation, FM1 Manila, together with its sister station FM2 (an 80s and 90s music oriented station) is slowly dominating the ratings game. In a Nielsen survey in Manila dated November 2017, FM2 ranked number one in all market niche (class A, B and C), another first for the government radio.
FM1 Davao’s studio and transmitter is at the Mindanao Broadcast Hub in Bangkal. It will also soon be a hub of the government’s media entities: the People’s Television (PTV), Philippine Broadcast Service (PBS)-Radyo Pilipinas, News and Information Bureau-Philippine News Agency (NIB-PNA), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
FM1 is currently under test broadcasting and technical adjustments, but assures its listeners many things to look forward to in the future. (Ralph Lawrence Llemit)
