Batangas Top Radio Stations Analysis

I.          Introduction              

People listening to the radio are more often than not on their own and doing something else like driving or housework or some other mundane task that benefit from being able to listen to the radio to help the job along. In Fact, during the 2^nd World War and into the 1950’s, the BBC also known as British Broadcasting Company, put out a radio programme, “Music While You Work”, which was broadcast to factories to boost morale and take the worker’s mind off the often boring, repetitive tasks they were engaged in. The programme always played jaunty, quite fast tunes so that the workers would speed up on what they were doing to match the timing of the music. No doubt, up to this time, this idiosyncrasy is more of a habit for most of the people including me- who almost can’t be able to perform a long and tiring chore, when studying, sleeping and eating as my best example. It would make me feel like worn out and defocus for that instance.

The Philippines radio industry remains to be a Country-free industry despite the fact that CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) which means targeting teens by featuring current fast selling hits from top lists as well as broadcasting minimal news and AC (Adult Contemporary) stations are currently including new country artists in their playlist, not a single station has ever cashed in on a new country FM station. Probably it’s the salability of the format, though, some tried to do Hispanic format however, its format flopped rather than format flipped. The industry is still is as great as its resurgence through highly flexible media negotiations of the stations offering both ATL (Above The Line activities) which are those that the agency received income from the media company and BTL (Below The line activies) which are the other type of activities in the promotional mix  that becomes the opportunities for advertisers. Furthermore, the ingenious ways of cutting through clutter with the use of announcer endorsements (i.e. popular radio celebrities). Actually, a little while back, The National Radio Survey has been launched as tool for the radio stations to sell radio as a viable medium to reach Filipinos nationwide.

II.                Analysis

a)      Programming

Concerning choice of music to air, 99.1 Spirit FMs’ and 104.7 Bay Radios’ choice were “mostly” associated with ballads pertaining to songs produced or composed by Filipino artists or of Filipino descent, commonly known as OPM or Original Pinoy/Philippine Music. More over, the listeners of these two radio station are relatively peoples in class C, D, and E- which means ranging from Average to Below Poverty Line.  The obvious variation between the two is that Spirit FM is more affiliated to religious genre due to its owner is Catholic Media Network and that proves ascribed of its mass programs such as; “Healing Rosary, Mabuting Balita, Sunday Light and Misa ng Bayan”, which have been airing every weekday and Saturday mornings and evenings.

 GV 99.9, on the other hand, is more on airing urban, upbeat and pop music which are composedly of foreign songs due to Class A to C listeners. And with accordance to that songs with lyrics or messages that are vulgar, indecent, promote substance abuse, gender discrimination, racism, Satanism, violence or sexual perversion or demeans a member of any sector of society have been played most of the time. 


In terms of news airing, Bay Radio and Spirit FM, airs in between programs and customarily when necessary through flash reports. GV, otherwise has schedules of airing news reports primarily midnights. I think they’re all abiding the provided airtime regulations of news as to what with any radio stations here in the Phlippines. Like when airtime for a music program is paid for or produced by a recording company, the name of the recording company have been announced as the producer or sponsor of the program – in case of news, the sponsor is announced at the end of each report or with each time break.

Regarding other added segments or gimmicks, It is the Spirit FM which holds the crown (I think so), and Bay Radio being the second. Every time I listen on Spirit Fm (not merely suggesting my fave), what I almost heard was that the DJs talking or making fun of the callers which means they are more attached of social concerns of their listeners (doesn’t mean demeaning the dignity of their audience). They have so many contests announced so that the listeners will tune in on them. The winners have been announced and the prize was awarded as soon as the contests were finished. What I’ve usually heard of GV was trivias concerning the top hits as well as about a certain song before or after it was played.

b)     DJs

The DJs of Bay Radio and Spirit Fm were merely stick of speaking native language which is “Tagalog”, of course because, of the listeners who were in the both in the classes C, D and E and rarely speaks English, only whenever telling trivias and commercial breaks and sponsors. Again, due to Elite to Average listeners of GV Drive Radio, why the DJs rarely spoke Tagalog, so to signify their status above the other Batangas radio stations and of course, for the listeners to adapt easily. Additionally, Spirit and Bay radio were used of speaking jargons and slangs, evidently for their listeners’ adaptation.

c)      Technical

Honestly, I don’t really have a clue about the softwares these three Batangas radio stations are using for each of their everyday programs, only I know for sure, is that these three radio stations must have been using up-to-date softwares thru their entire airing of programs, that is why they are the top three most listened or subscribed radio stations here in Batangas City or even maybe, entire Southern Tagalog. The only thing I’m concerned of about Spirit FMs’ airing is that there are times that they are in dead air after couple of songs had been played, obliging me to change frequency.

III.             Conclusion & Recommendation

Most of the community radio stations in the Philippines are equipped with just enough basic facilities to go on-the-air. As financially capable commercial and public radios are penetrating remote territories, however, community radios stations are now rising from the risks of being left behind due to our supportive government.

Definitely, Philippine music industry is competent of its status, despite that most of these days music are more associated with strong foreign influences. What we must do is, continue supporting our own music by appreciating it in a way how we are proud of being a Filipino, not just in words but most importantly, by definite actions.