Radio Philippines Network

Radio Philippines Network, Inc. is a Filipino-owned media company co-owned by the Government Communications Group, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Far East Managers and Investors Inc., and private sectors. This station studios are located at Broadcast City, Capitol Hills, Old Balara, Diliman, Quezon City. with transmitters at Panay Avenue, Quezon City. Founded by Roberto Benedicto, the TV network is the sister network of Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation.

Among its assets are the broadcast television networks RPN and the radio network DZKB Radyo Ronda as well as the international channel RPN USA.

As the Kanlaon Broadcasting System
RPN was launched and granting the first broadcasting franchise on June 29, 1960 as the Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS). Kanlaon is a volcano on the Philippine island of Negros, the home of Benedicto. Once granted, KBS first became a radio network with its first radio station in Manila, DZBI. In 1967, KBS had grown into a full network, with seven radio stations all over the country, In 1969, KBS turned to television as KBS Television was launched with KBS-9 Manila and KBS-12 Baguio as its first stations. Help and funding for the new TV network partly came from ABS-CBN in the form of its old headquarters along Roxas Boulevard and equipment 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.

As the Radio Philippines Network
In 1975, KBS re-launched as RPN the Radio Philippines Network. It aired special coverages of the Olympics, Thrilla in Manila (in 1975) and the Miss Universe; and Programs such as John En Marsha, Flordeluna, Superstar. The network broadcast a daytime variety show entitled Eat Bulaga! (premiering in 1979), and a nightly newscast titled NewsWatch, alongside anime programming (making them one of the first to do so in the country) and imports from the United States. RPN-9 is the first network to cover the Philippine Basketball Association games live. In 1980, RPN-9 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.

Government sequestration and New Vision 9
After the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, the stock and assets of RPN, 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 ABS-CBN and GMA Radio-Television Arts. By 1989, some of RPN's programming such as John en Marsha, Student Canteen, and Superstar were canceled, and TAPE's daytime programs Eat Bulaga!, Agila. and Coney Reyes on Camera (a co-production with Coney Reyes' CAN Television) moved to ABS-CBN under a co-production agreement. In 1989, the network relaunched as "New Vision 9" (but maintains "Radio Philippines Network" as the network's legal name), but later fell into a ratings slump due the resurgence of ABS-CBN and the recent re-launch of GMA Radio-Television Arts as GMA Network, but the reformatting positively resulted in another first for Philippine television as it became the first to go into 24-hour broadcasting. In 1994, RPN became the television channel to broadcast programs in full stereo. In 1996, though, the network quickly re-gained its footing when it began to broadcast a Tagalog dub of the Mexican telenovela Marimar, which quickly became a popular program for the network, and setting the trend for a few years.

Partnership with Solar
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) 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 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.

Privatization
In 2010, the Philippine government 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 signed off. However, the sign-off was only in preparation for a relaunch 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

The Kasama Network
A public advisory was plugged, informing that ETC on RPN aired its final sign-off on March 31, 2013 will return to Southern Broadcasting Network (SBN) while Solar News Channel turned into free TV channel 43 in DWBM-TV.

By March 30, 2013 on the test broadcast until resumed the operation as the commercial operation television started at 7:00pm by switching on its 100-killowatt transmitter and a big welcome party by the big stars of the network. ETC was ceased commercial operations with ETC going to a cable TV channel when RPN-9 returned to the air on Mach 30, 2013 will become part of Media ng Bayan. Cash and resources stretched to the limit, with offices being made to double as dressing rooms and basics such as chairs, tables and phones in short supply while RPN stars, personalities and employees start to return to RPN. Hence, RPN employees as president and CEO Robert Rivera was brought in to rework the station's programming.

RPN acquired a new franchise to operate under Republic Act 7831 signed by President Noynoy Aquino III on nationwide satellite broadcasting in over 34 regional TV stations nationwide and creating with RPN's Radyo Ronda in the radio broadcasts for the AM radio stations DZKB Radyo Ronda.

In a surge of phenomenal growth, RPN earned a reputation as The Kasama Network among the ranks of the strong number 3 in the overall TV network rating challenge the dominance of the broadcast industry leaders with a programming that combines the America's certified hits, hit telenovelas, asianovelas, animes and all station-produced local programs. Its creativity and innovation have resulted in numerous long-running program successes on the challenge of revolutionizing the broadcast landscape including a stronger of local news and public affairs programs, high-quality entertainment, the broadcast equipment, and the acquisition of broadcast rights of the two basketball leagues such as the ASEAN Basketball League and the Metropolitan Basketball Association games. Additionally, the network also launched a new advertising campaign and slogan, Kasama Ako!, which the new lineup as being more distinct being aired by its competitors at the time.

With the other TV networks focusing on other forms of entertainment, RPN made the animé series that including Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh! and K-On! in the surgence of anime on Philippine television. The network gained popularity with a hit telenovela Rosalinda and a Koreanovela Dream High. The top networks are ABS-CBN, GMA Network, IBC and TV5 forced to include telenovelas, animes and asianovelas to their programming lineup.

The new management priority is optimum coverage and TV signal reception. To achieve this, RPN will boost its transmission power and establish new sites in strategic parts of the country. The Kasama Network also aims to reach audiences in America via RPN USA, the world's international channel with the Dish Network. RPN won the Best TV Station award at the 2013 KBP Golden Dove Awards, with several other TV programs on the network also earning awards in their respective categories.

On January 3, 2014, RPN and Aliw Broadcasting Corporation (operators of DWIZ and Home Radio) recently 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.

RPN Programs
RPN's program lineup includes news and current affairs shows, dramas, sitcoms, gag shows, variety shows, gag shows from the United States, dubbed foreign serials, children's shows, foreign shows, anime shows, reality shows, and sports. The network also promotes upcoming movies and sponsors events, particularly parties around the Metro Manila area and provincial regional area.

Competition
On April 1, 2013, RPN has been reportedly on ranking number 3 based on the Kantar Media survey. It is the certified number 3 television network behind the competition with ABS-CBN and GMA Network along with the number 3 spots of IBC and TV5. It also gained its rating on their world-class quality primetime block. Most watched of the hit telenovela Rosalinda and a hit Koreanovela Dear My Sister along with the ABL and MBA basketball games.

Digitalization
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered that all analog TV broadcast transmission will be terminated by 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2015, requiring television service providers to migrate to DTT by that time. The management of RPN is planning for digitalization.

International broadcast
RPN programs are shown in the United States from Dish Network, Singapore, Sydney, London, Hong Kong, South Korea, Canada and Malaysia.

Subsidiary

 * RPN News and Public Affairs
 * RPN Entertainment TV
 * Talent9
 * RPN Licensing and Merchandising
 * RPN International