DZWI
DZWI, branded as Power 108 FM, was an FM radio station in the Philippines which operated from 2001 to 2004. It was owned by Katigbak Enterprises (San Pablo City) under ConAmor Broadcasting System. The station was operated by 713 Productions, owned by Marcelle John Marcelino (aka DJ Htown) under lease agreement. Its studios are located in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, while its transmitter is located at Laurel, Batangas.[1] The radio station took its name from the famous "Power 106" (KPWR) in Los Angeles, California. The flamboyant logo of Power 108 FM represented its love of the urban culture.
 | |
| City | Laurel, Batangas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Batangas, Cavite, and southern parts of Metro Manila |
| Frequency | 107.9 MHz |
| Branding | Power 108 FM |
| Slogan | "Where Hip Hop Lives" "Blazin' Hip Hop & R&B" |
| Programming | |
| Format | Defunct |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Conamor Broadcasting Systems (Katigbak Enterprises (San Pablo City)) |
| Operator | 713 Productions |
| History | |
First air date | April 15, 2001 |
Last air date | 2004 |
Call sign meaning | PoWer I08 |
| Technical information | |
| Power | 1000 watts |
| Links | |
| Website | Power 108 FM official site (no longer updated) |
History
It was the first and only radio station in the Philippines and Asia to play hip hop and R&B 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Located near Taal Volcano, the "pirate" station began in 2001 as a blip on the screen to quickly becoming a force in the competitive radio market. The urban culture was an untapped market in the metropolis and Power 108 FM executives and DJs (power jocks) were very aware of this. Both management and on-air talent were passionate about playing music and sharing the culture which earned the respect of hip hop enthusiasts around Metro Manila.
The original format did not have on-air personalities 24/7. As the station gained popularity, programming changes were made and more DJs were added.
On-air personalities, 2001
- H-Town (currently with Wave 891)
- T-Bone (currently with Magic 89.9 as Tony Toni on the weeknight program called Boys Night Out)
- Caine
- Tiny
- Bliss
- Tripp
- Sugar
- Lady-C (podcast: A Dose of Intensity)
- Passion
- Kel
- J-Rok
- Chesco
- BuddhaMak
- Fat Boy Klim
- Silkk
- Razorray
Notable personalities that worked at the station were the late rapper Francis Magalona, using his on-air moniker as The Mouth and former MTV Philippines VJ and supermodel Sarah Meier.
Power 108 FM eventually evolved as Project: Hip Hop which was created by three men, namely DJs Caine, Satoshi and Quaizy.
The End of Power 108 FM
Power 108 FM permanently signed off on August 31, 2004. No official announcement was made by the station and therefore speculation arose as to what the main reason was for its shutdown. With its signal reaching even the northern parts of Metro Manila, it was rumored to be due to its license. It supposedly allowed the station only to be heard in the Tagaytay area.
In 2005, the Power 108 crew together with previous Investor - Marcelle John Marcelino (aka DJ Htown) and Cavite Businessman - Politician Mayor Dino Reyes Chua returned to the airwaves via a new radio station, Blazin' 105.9 (now Retro 105.9 DCG FM) in Pasig City. A major accomplishment of the station was to bring The Black Eyed Peas to the Philippines.
Two years later, on the same frequency, 107.9 U Radio started broadcasting.
When BLAZIN' 105.9 closed shop in mid-2008, Wave 891 in 2007 took over the format of Power 108 and the Pinoy hip hop scene, creating the 1st Urban Music Awards in 2010.
References
- 2011 Philippine Yearbook. Page 25.