DZBB (pronounced DZ-double-B; 594 AM) Super Radyo is a radio station owned and operated by GMA Network. It serves as the flagship station of the Super Radyo network and one of the assets of GMA Radio and GMA Integrated News. The station's studio is located at the 3rd floor of GMA Network Studio Annex, EDSA corner GMA Network Drive, Diliman, Quezon City, while its transmitter is located along Camia St., Brgy. Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan.[1][2][3]
Cable company Spectrum broadcasts the audio of DZBB along with that of DWLS to the United States as part of its "Filipino Channels" package[4]
Super Radyo DZBB is currently held its position as the #1 AM radio station in Metro Manila, according to the Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement survey conducted in the month of June 2023.[5]
History
1950–1989: Dobol B
DZBB marked its inaugural broadcast, as the station's static-marred signal was wafted on the air for the first time on March 1, 1950, by Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart, in a small office space in Calvo Building, Escolta, Binondo, Manila, with mostly second-hand equipment and an old, surplus radio transmitter. The station was then broadcasting on the frequency of 580 kHz, with the power of 10,000 watts.
Despite the scarcity of new broadcasting facilities, the station has scored many milestones with its news, Congressional coverage, breaking news, exclusives, and blow-by-blow accounts of major national events. It was also a pioneer with trendsetting shows such as Camay Theater of the Air, Cathay Broadcasting, Lovingly Yours, Helen, Kahapon Lamang, Tawag ng Tanghalan, Newscoop, and Kwentong Kutsero. Some of these shows eventually became television shows. DZBB was also the first to air live coverage of not only news and public affairs, but also entertainment and educational programmes.
In 1957, DZBB moved to its new and current home at EDSA, Quezon City.
Due to the success of DZBB, Stewart ventured into television on October 29, 1961, as DZBB-TV Channel 7 with the branding of RBS-7 (now known as GMA-7 Manila). The station was seized and closed in September 1972 due to Martial Law pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081. Two years later, due to changes in media ownership laws, Channel 7, DZBB and their other sister provincial radio and television stations were eventually sold to the triumvirate of Gilberto Duavit Sr., Menardo Jimenez and Felipe Gozon. At the same time, DZBB returned to the airwaves — through the efforts of the station's new management — under its new branding "Dobol B", which would later be rebranded to simply DZBB 594 kHz; it became a music-personality radio station and it also covered major news stories in the 1970s and 1980s. In November 1978, DZBB moved to the present frequency of 594 kHz, in response to the adoption of the 9 kHz spacing on AM radio stations in the Philippines under the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975.
1989–1999: Bisig Bayan
Arman Roque during his radio program in the early 1990s
The station was rebranded as "Bisig Bayan" from July 17, 1989, to January 3, 1999; and completely changed its format to news and public service. Their new identity made the station more popular to radio listeners in Metro Manila. Rafael "Paeng" Yabut, Bobby Guanzon, Lito Villarosa, Rene Jose, Rey Pacheco, Raul Virtudazo, Jimmy Gil, Arman Roque, Rose "Manang Rose" Clores, German Moreno, Inday Badiday, Helen Vela, Augusto Victa, Manolo Favis, and Pol Caguiat were the personalities of the Bisig Bayan years.
On January 1, 1990, DZBB reformatted into a 24-hour round-the-clock broadcasting service, in order to keep up with the pace of delivering news to its listeners, subsequently releasing Kape at Balita, a morning news/commentary/talk show hosted by Bobby Guanzon and then GMA News reporterJessica Soho in 1991, which expanded to television the same year.
In January 1995, Mike Enriquez, then-Vice President for FM Radio Operations of Radio Mindanao Network transferred to GMA Network as an anchor and station manager of DZBB (later promoted as consultant for radio operations of GMA and president of RGMA Network, Inc.) and he became one of the prominent anchors who served the station for 27 years until his medical leave in 2022. Enriquez died on August 29, 2023.[6][7]
1999–present: Super Radyo
Super Radyo DZBB main logo used from 2002 until 2014.
On January 4, 1999, the station was once again rebranded as "Super Radyo DZBB 594". Much of their programming focuses on news and current events, and it still simulcasts GMA programs such as 24 Oras and Saksi.
In 2010, for the first time in Philippine radio history, DZBB and its rival station DZMM of ABS-CBN made history as they joined forces in the name of public service. Two children named James and Jesus asked for help to find their missing parents named Pascual and Norma Bantillan from Bohol on a rival program on DZMM Aksyon Ngayon Global Patrol and were eventually reunited through DZBB's program Aksyon Oro Mismo.
On February 28, 2011, DZBB began its simulcast on television with the launch of Dobol B sa News TV block, coinciding with the launch of GMA News TV.[8] The block originally included the radio station's top-rated programs such as Saksi sa Dobol B and Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide. It ended its simulcast on September 7, 2012.
In 2014, DZBB kept its winning streak in Mega Manila as it continued to lead rival stations in ratings, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. DZBB grabbed the lead in Mega Manila in June 2014 and has since sustained leadership in the area, which it repeated in 2017, 2019, and again from 2020 up to this day.[9]
On April 24, 2017, DZBB officially launched its new logo, its first ever jingle for the station and its newly renovated radio booth, as well as the relaunch of Dobol B TV, after almost five years of hiatus on television.
In 2020, DZBB temporarily suspended its regular programming, especially during overnight hours, in line with the enhanced community quarantine imposed by former President Rodrigo Duterte due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which replaced them with news updates and hookup to sister station DWLS. The simulcasts of Barangay Love Stories provided to be quite a hit that later in the year DZBB responded with the launch of Super Radyo Nobela, which proved to be a stunning success also as the first drama program to be aired live on Facebook.
On February 8, 2021, the studios of DZBB, as well as the programs simulcast over Dobol B sa News TV (later renamed to Dobol B TV with the launch of GTV), and its sister station DWLS, have permanently moved to its new radio booth at the GMA Network Annex Building.
DZBB's programs are mostly news, current issues, and news analysis produced by GMA Integrated News. Their morning radio shows are anchored mostly by news anchors and personalities from television.
The station also has two kinds of newscasts: a main news bulletin entitled Super Balita with editions of the news bulletin aired at 7:00 a.m. PST, 11:30 a.m. PST (the weekday editions of its morning and lunchtime newscasts are simulcast to all Super Radyo stations nationwide), 3:30 p.m. PST and 10:00 p.m. PST every Monday to Friday and Bigtime Balita, the flagship evening newscast of the station, anchored by Rene Sta. Cruz aired before the simulcast of 24 Oras from GMA Network.
On some occasions, DZBB would also air live and exclusive blow-by-blow boxing coverage, especially during Manny Pacquiao's fights (alongside Super Radyo stations nationwide). As such, DZBB became the first radio station to do so (from 2007 until 2019, and again in 2021).
As of 2020, DZBB also live streams select programs on its official Facebook page.
