Manila Broadcasting Company’s flagship station DZRH marked its 80th anniversary on July 15 by looking back at its broadcast leadership while at the same time charging forward as it embraces connectivity, social media, and digital technology.
From its auspicious beginnings as the mouthpiece of Heacock Department Store in Escolta, DZRH evolved into a music and entertainment station, where live performers took on the microphone. It was on the station (then named KZRH) that a number of artists got their breaks and tested their mettle for stardom.
Primarily featuring jazz from an extensive music catalogue from the U.S as well as the compositions of co-founder Don Federico Elizalde, who was a renowned bandleader in England, it also began playing kundimans soon after coming back on the air after World War II. Around the same time, it became popular for entertainment programs like singing competitions, spelling contests, and various quiz shows, before eventually earning its merits as the home of radio drama.
Eventually, the film industry tested the bankability of its stars by translating popular DZRH radio serials onto the celluloid screen. DZRH program hosts and guests became iconic fixtures in the realm of popular Filipino entertainment.
Apart from the high-profile events that the station has become a part of today, it continues to be at the forefront of news and public affairs programming. Through eight decades, DZRH has witnessed Philippine history unfold while establishing itself as a brand known for credibility and fairness. With serbisyong bayan as its credo, DZRH also celebrates its 80th year with a multi-pronged public service offering encompassing a job fair and blood-letting under the auspices of Operation Tulong.
