FBN

Filipino Broadcasting Network (abbreviated FBN) is the flagship commercial television network owned by the FBNNational. Its head office, studios and transmitter are located at FBN Building, Diliman, Quezon City.

Among its assets are the broadcast television networks FBN, FBN Sports TV, the radio network Radyo Kabayan, Special Radio, 99.5 Play FM and Bida FM and the international channel FBN World.

FBN is currently the proud member of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

As Kanlaon Broadcasting System (1960-1975)
The congress of the Philippines approved the franchise of Radio Philippine Network on June 19, 1960. Instead of using its franchise name, the network instead used Kanlaon Broadcasting System as its initial branding. Kanlaon is a volcano on the Philippine island of Negros, the home of its founder Roberto Benedicto. Kanlaon Broadcasting System started broadcasting as a radio network with its first station DZBI in Manila. By 1967, KBS had grown into a full network, with seven radio stations all over the country namely, DZRR and DZAX in Manila, DZAH and DZBS in Baguio, DZTG in Tuguegarao, DZRL in Laoag (later moved to Batac), and DXDX in General Santos. Philippine radio veteran Ben Aniceto was the operations director at the time.

The broadcast network ventured into television broadcasting on October 15, 1969 with the launch of KBS-9 Manila as the network's flagship TV station. KBS-12 Baguio was also signed on the air on the same year. Properties and funding for the new TV network partly came from ABS-CBN in the form of its old headquarters along Roxas Boulevard and equipment from Toshiba 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.

In 1970, KBS also acquired a Color-ready Outside Broadcast Van for the remote broadcasts of major news events and sports coverages.

On September 1972, KBS television and radio stations, and its sister publication Daily Express under the Benedicto group were allowed to operate during the Martial Law period, where most of the media outfits were closed down.

In 1975, Kanlaon Broadcasting System became Philippine Broadcasting Company.

Early Years (1975-1986)
In 1975, KBS formally re-launched as PBC, the acronym for its franchise name. Radio Philippines Network (the PBC name was first used in the provincial stations before the PBC brand would later be used for the Manila station as well; the KBS name was also used for other aspects such as KBS Sports until 1986). The network covered special events such as the Olympics, Thrilla in Manila in 1975, and the Miss Universe Pageant held in Manila in 1974; and programs such as John en Marsha, Flordeluna, Superstar. PBC became the birthplace and the first humble abode of the now longest running daytime variety show Eat Bulaga! (premiering in 1979). PBC became also a popular and most watched longest running game show on Philippine television Family Kwarta o Kahon hosted by Pepe Pimentel originaly aired on ABS-CBN then BBC-2, the show ran for almost 38 years until it finally ended in the year 2000. PBC also pioneered the TV newscasting as they launched the first ever newspaper-format nightly newscast titled NewsWatch. The network also pioneered the use of computer graphics for their program plugs and station IDs as well as its broadcast of the ubiquitous digital clock shown on the lower leftmost part of the screen during the entire broadcast day except for commercials, station ID, and during sign-off, and after the fire that razed its first studios on June 6, 1973, PBC moved to the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in the same year, and to its current Broadcast City home in July 1978, alongside sister networks BBC-2 and IBC-13.

PBC also aired anime programming (making them one of the first to do so in the country) and imported and syndicated programs from the United States. PBC-9 is the first network to cover the Philippine Basketball Association games live in 1976, before the broadcasts moved on to BBC-2.

In 1980, it was renamed National Broadcasting System in 1980 and 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. This made PBC the first national network to achieve nationwide program simulcasting via satellite.

The network also became home to, from 1978 up to the early 1980s, the Super Sentai series (making it the first in the Philippines to do so, becoming a pioneer in broadcasting tokusatsu and sentai programs in the country in the process). These made it a reason for the network in 1982 to adopt The Leader as its official slogan, coupled with its Number 9 and the red corporate logos, due to its massive successes as the nation's number one network. In 1986, after the assumption of office of President Corazon C. Aquino, the government sequestered Radio Philippines Network for allegedly being part of the crony capitalism under the Marcos regime. By then, it was the leading network in the Philippines cornering the highest audience share in the entire country.

First Downfall (1986-1989)
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 GMA Radio-Television Arts, which had rose as the leader in 1986, and PTV, another government-owned network, causing its ratings to slump, thus tarnishing RPN's popularity and officialy rebranded as Filipino Broadcasting Network (FBN).

This decline was worsened when one of its pre-1972 rivals, ABS-CBN, which struggled in the ratings upon its reopening in 1986, got a ratings boost in 1987, triggering an unfaltering ascent to No. 1 in 1988, causing FBN to fall to 4th place.

During the post-EDSA Revolution era, FBN launched the first Filipino-created animated series, Ang Panday. By 1989, some of FBN's programming such as John en Marsha, Student Canteen, and Superstar ended, and TAPE's daytime programs Eat Bulaga!, Agila. and Coney Reyes on Camera (a co-production with Coney Reyes' CAN Television) moved under a co-production agreement to ABS-CBN, as they saw the resurgent network as a vital element in the sustaining of the three shows' success. During this period, it was already clear that FBN was losing its status as a premier broadcaster, resulting in its "The Leader" slogan to lose its purpose.

New Vision 9 (1989-1994)
In 1989, the network was relaunched into the "New Vision 9" brand to recoup lost audience share in the ratings game of Philippine television networks. At the same year, New Vision 9 transmitter's effective radiated power was increased to 1 million watts for a clearer and better signal reception. The rebrand was took place after FBN and Syndicated Media Access Corporation (SMAC) took over the network's management and marketing. It became the third re-branding of the network. The reformat and re-branding instead made history for the network as it pioneered 24-hour television broadcasting in the Philippines.

At the same year in 1989, Andy Santillan joins FBN as a residential announcer when the network becomes New Vision 9.

On March 26, 1992, President Cory Aquino signed Republic Act 7306 turning FBN into a media conglomerate known formally as FBN Corporation.

Telenovela Dominance and Second Downfall (1994-2001)
In 1994, New Vision 9 was renamed back as Filipino Broadcasting Network (FBN) and in the same year, FBN became the second television network in the Philippines to broadcast in full surround stereo (after GMA Network introduced StereoVision in 1987). In 1996, though, the network quickly re-gained its footing when it began to broadcast a Tagalog dub of the Mexican telenovela Marimar. The network became the pioneer in Tagalog-dubbed foreign programs and movies and made the popular and turnaround its ratings on the evening prime time. Due to the success, the other networks followed and broadcast telenovelas not only from Mexico but also Spanish language telenovelas from the United States, Colombia (GMA 7's Betty La Fea), Venezuela (GMA 7's Samantha and All My Love) and Argentina (GMA 7's Monica Brava) and eventually even drama series from Brazil (ABS-CBN's Ana Manuela) and Asian drama series from Taiwan (notably Meteor Garden) and South Korea (notably Bright Girl).

In 2000, a major network war in the ratings game ensued with the broadcast of Taiwanese/Korean-language television series by the three superior leading networks, ABS-CBN, GMA Network and IBC; and followed by PTV in 2014, causing FBN into decline in the telenovelas battle.

Radio Philippines Network (2001-2011)
On July 16, 2001, under the new management appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, FBNC adopted the new image and name Radio Philippines Network (RPN) carrying a new slogan "Your Kind of TV." for a new image in line with its new programming thrusts, they continued the new name until the Aquino administration in 2010.

RPN expanded its broadcast reach with the launching of RPN World (now FBN World) in 2005 in cooperation with the Television and Radio Broadcasting Service (TARBS). This global expansion signals new directions for RPN as it becomes accessible to the rest of the world, particularly the millions of Filipinos overseas. NBN can be seen in Australia, North America and the Asia-Pacific.

Solar Entertainment era (2007-2014)
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 "Orly" Mercado.

As C/S / C/S9 / Solar TV (2008-2011)
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. 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.

Before the year 2010, RPN main studios in Quezon City and its regional stations in Baguio, Iriga, Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Davao will be equipped with the most modern news gathering equipment for them to compete with the major television networks. Also, a new Harris Transmitter has been installed. RPN's transmitter power shall be increased from 40 kW to 60 kW (However, few years later, in 2013, the network was downgraded its transmitting power output from 60 kW to 50 kW later then back to 40 kW or 25 kW in June 2016 to control power costs). RPN's digital channel is now available on channel 19 (now moved to channel 47) using the Japanese digital TV standard.

As ETC (2011-2013)
In January 2011, reports confirmed that 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. In 2011, RPN continued to enhance its digital broadcasting capabilities with equipment donated from the Japanese government. This equipment will also allow RPN to begin broadcasting emergency alerts when necessary (similar to the Emergency Alert System in the United States, but it is more likely, due to the usage of the Japanese digital TV standard, that the system would be based on the Japanese J-Alert system).

On February 25, 2011, RPN was relaunched 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. However, due to privatization, RPN is forced to retrench 200 employees and stopping the production of RPN NewsWatch, its last RPN-produced program, on October 29, 2012 as Solar TV takes over the entire RPN's airtime. In November 2013, San Miguel Corporation President and COO Ramon S. Ang declares interest in acquiring Solar Television Network and its stake. .

Although the branding is officially known as the Radio Philippines Network, in August 2011, the "FBN" brand which was retired in 2001 was reintroduced as a secondary brand until a few months later, FBNC became a primary brand, and the branding Radio Philippines Network was retired.

On July 2, 2012, FBN launched its new logo and its new slogan "National Network" with a flag station ID.

On March 2013, FBN President Robert Rivera signed, superseding the old Charter, in which the management will be under reorganization and the government will infuse P5 billion to FBN to revitalize the station and make it "digital competitive" in spite of GMA Network's questionings of the law, fearing that it may enter competition. PTV has earned P59 million generated revenues for the first and second quarter of 2014.

FBN has started their modernization program since 2012, including the acquisition of studio technical equipment, cameras, vehicles and high-powered transmitter for the main office in Diliman, Quezon City, together with few regional offices, included in their plans is the rehabilitation of FBN stations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Despite being operated with little or no budget, the new FBN had still managed to cover the biggest events in the country including the 2013 National and Local Elections, 2013 Central Visayas earthquake, Typhoon Ketsana, the visits of US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis, the APEC Philippines 2015 and the 2016 National and Local Elections.

It should be noted that in 2005, several Radyo Ronda programs were also aired on then RPN with the Visayas Avenue studios used for some of them, under the slogan? banner. In 2014, the partnership between the two was revived with an all new morning news program, Good Morning Bayan, which is also heard in Radyo Ronda stations nationwide, broadcasting from its own studios and the Radyo Ronda radio booth. Before the launch, Radyo Ronda had already, since 2012, been simulcasting RM News on radio on all its stations.