Brigada Mass Media Corporation (BMMC) is a newspaper company and media network in the Philippines. It is the first-ever local Tri-media organization to have emerged from the Soccsksargen area as a national network with its array of Brigada News FM stations. BMMC is part of Brigada Group of Companies of entrepreneur Elmer Catulpos which also maintains three newspaper editions in Mindanao, one TV station, distribution of herbal food supplements, medicines, cosmetics and engine care products, a drug pharmacy, a garden resort and two private security agencies.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | October 18, 2005 |
| Headquarters | Brigada Complex NLSA Road, Brgy. San Isidro, General Santos, Philippines National Broadcast Center One San Miguel Avenue Bldg., San Miguel Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines |
Key people | Elmer Catulpos (Chairman and CEO, Brigada Group of Companies) Yelcy Catulpos (Executive Vice President) Aimee Jean Abelis (COO) Cresenciano Pedrola, Jr. (General Manager) Erine Gale Dejecacion (Assistant General Manager) |
| Subsidiaries | Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation Brigada Healthline Dynamic Force Security Agency Brigada Pharmacy |
| Website | http://brigada.ph |
 | |
| Type | Broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Country | |
Broadcast area | Philippines |
| Owner | Brigada Group of Companies |
Launch date | October 18, 2012 |
Picture format | 480i (4:3 SDTV) 16:9 (1080i, HDTV) |
| Language | Filipino (main) English (secondary) |
Its main Brigada Complex is located at NLSA Road, San Isidro, General Santos; BMMC's National Broadcast Center is located at the One San Miguel Avenue Building, San Miguel Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Center, Pasig.
History
It all started with the publication of Brigada News Philippines, first named as Brigada Tolendoy News and Tips, an internet café-based, one-color, 6-page and comic-sized tabloid on October 18, 2005, with a circulation in General Santos. The tabloid had generated approximately 1,000 printed copies of its maiden issue.
It was founded by former Bombo Radyo General Santos anchor; independent news publisher; and now Brigada News Philippines President and Chief-Executive Officer Elmer Catulpos.
Its main office is in General Santos, but the company also has offices in Davao and Cagayan de Oro, with its own edition each. It has a combined daily circulation of 21,000 copies sold, practically covering the entire Mindanao region. As of October 18, 2023, the newspaper has stopped its circulation.
In April 2007, 2 years after the birth of Brigada News Philippines, Brigada Healthline Marketing was established as distributor of health products that the company advertised in its daily newspaper and block time radio programs.[2]
In October 2009, it expanded its media operations to radio by acquiring 89.5 from Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation and reformatting it to 89.5 Brigada News FM, the first-ever radio station in General Santos with an AM & FM format. After a short period of time from its inception, it already became the Over-All #2 radio station, both AM and FM stations combined in General Santos and neighboring areas, according to the then latest AC Nielsen Survey. Subsequently, in early 2013, it obtained the Over-all #3 spot, according to the KBP-RRC Survey.
In January 2012, it expanded its operations once more to television with Brigada News TV 46 (now on Channel 39), Eye of Mindanao, acquired from Asian Multimedia and Productions, which is the first-ever local television station which devotes 70-80% of its programs to local issues and concerns. Given its still very short stint in the television industry, it has already eaten up a big slice of the pie of viewership especially its news and public affairs programs in the prime time slots in the morning and afternoon. Since December 2015, Brigada News TV moved to UHF channel 34, until September 2019 when it moved to its present Channel 39, with 10,000 watts of power.
Since February 2013, Brigada News FM expanded to 25 cities and municipalities in the Philippines through its subsequent acquisition and 100% takeover of Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation, its owned and operated stations and other smaller radio networks.[3]
In April 2014, Brigada News FM National Offices in Makati was inaugurated and relocated Brigada News FM Batangas to become Brigada News FM National, which later moved to Mareco-owned 105.1 in July 2023, and completing the three broadcast centers of the network, Manila, Cebu and General Santos.[4]
As of 2017, BMMC now has 40 owned and operated stations in the country, larger than its main all-news competitor Radyo5 News FM but is ahead of another news/talk radio competitor Radyo Bandera.
On June 27, 2023, BMMC signed an agreement with Mareco Broadcasting Network, in which it would lease the stations in Manila, Baguio, Cebu and Davao.
Brigada News FM
| Type | Broadcast FM radio network (News/Talk, Contemporary MOR, OPM) |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | National |
| Founded | October 2009 |
| Motto | Brigada, In The Heart of Changing Lives The Music and News Authority |
Official website | www |
Overview
Brigada News FM stations are collectively known as Brigada News FM Philippines with its current taglines The Music and News Authority and In The Heart of Changing Lives. Currently, Brigada News FM has more than 50 owned and operated FM stations across the country, the most number of stations for a news-formatted radio network compared to their other networks in AM radio and more are planned to be opened.[5][6]
Since October 18, 2017, Brigada News FM operates five network feeds (Manila, Pampanga, Batangas, Cebu and General Santos) for its stations to simulcast various programming. National news and select musical shows have been provided from Manila on a regular basis since its opening in 2014, while the Batangas feed was carved out in October 2017 to provide provincial and Southern Luzon-exclusive content. The Pampanga feed was launched in August 2017. Cebu City formerly provided national content of music until mid-2016 when that purpose was relegated to the Visayas area. However, the Visayas feed can still be simulcast nationally when deemed necessary. General Santos's feed consists of health-oriented shows cleared for all stations during primetime and breaking news from Mindanao when warranted.
Stations
| Branding | Callsign | Frequency | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigada News FM General Santos | DXYM | 89.5 MHz | General Santos |
| Brigada News FM Manila | DWBM | 105.1 MHz | Mega Manila |
| DZBM | Baguio | ||
| DWCL | 92.7 MHz | San Fernando, Pampanga | |
| Brigada News FM Tuguegarao | DWVX | 92.5 MHz | Tuguegarao |
| Brigada News FM Cauayan | DWVA | 92.9 MHz | Cauayan |
| Brigada News FM Olongapo | DWTY | 93.5 MHz | Olongapo |
| DZBB | 107.3 MHz | Palauig | |
| DWBD | 99.9 MHz | Iba | |
| Brigada News FM Batangas | DWEY | 104.7 MHz | Batangas City |
| Brigada News FM Lucena | DWKL | 92.7 MHz | Lucena |
| Brigada News FM Mindoro | DWBY | 93.3 MHz | Roxas, Oriental Mindoro |
| Brigada News FM Daet | DWYD | 102.9 MHz | Daet |
| Brigada News FM Naga | DWKM | 103.1 MHz | Naga |
| 87.7 MHz | Goa | ||
| Brigada News FM Legazpi | DWED | 91.5 MHz | Legazpi |
| Brigada News FM Sorsogon | DWLH | 101.5 MHz | Sorsogon City |
| Brigada News FM Puerto Princesa | DWYO | 103.1 MHz | Puerto Princesa |
| Brigada News FM Narra | DZBI | 96.5 MHz | Narra |
| Brigada News FM Brooke's Point | DWBP | 103.7 MHz | Brooke's Point |
| Brigada News FM Quezon | DWYB | 98.3 MHz | Quezon |
| Brigada News FM Coron | — | 101.3 MHz | Coron |
| Brigada News FM Roxas, Palawan | DWBJ | 100.5 MHz | Roxas, Palawan |
| Brigada News FM Cebu | DYAC | 90.7 MHz | Cebu City |
| Brigada News FM Toledo | DYBD | 88.5 MHz | Toledo |
| Brigada News FM Bogo | DYMM | 90.9 MHz | Bogo |
| Brigada News FM Kalibo | DYYQ | 89.3 MHz | Kalibo |
| Brigada News FM Antique | — | 104.5 MHz | San Jose |
| Brigada News FM Roxas | DYYB | 95.7 MHz | Roxas, Capiz |
| Brigada News FM Bacolod | DYMG | 103.1 MHz | Bacolod |
| Brigada News FM Kabankalan | — | 99.7 MHz | Kabankalan |
| Brigada News FM San Carlos | DYBA | 89.3 MHz | San Carlos |
| Brigada News FM Dumaguete | DYBW | 89.5 MHz | Dumaguete |
| Brigada News FM Tacloban | DYTY | 93.5 MHz | Tacloban |
| DYCZ | 93.5 MHz | Ormoc | |
| Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro | DXMM | 102.5 MHz | Cagayan de Oro |
| Brigada News FM Davao | DXAC | 93.1 MHz | Davao City |
| DXGJ | 90.3 MHz | Digos | |
| Brigada News FM Koronadal | DXCE | 95.7 MHz | Koronadal |
| Brigada News FM Mati | DXBW | 103.1 MHz | Mati |
| Brigada News FM Tagum | DXBY | 97.5 MHz | Tagum |
| Brigada News FM Cotabato | DXZA | 89.3 MHz | Cotabato City |
| Brigada News FM Valencia | DXBX | 105.7 MHz | Valencia |
| Brigada News FM Iligan | DXZD | 95.1 MHz | Iligan |
| Brigada News FM Oroquieta | DXBK | 95.3 MHz | Oroquieta |
| Brigada News FM Butuan | DXVA | 96.7 MHz | Butuan |
| Brigada News FM Kidapawan | DXZC | 97.5 MHz | Kidapawan |
| Brigada News FM Agusan | DXYD | 105.5 MHz | Trento |
| Brigada News FM Surigao | — | 105.5 MHz | Surigao City |
| Brigada News FM Lebak | DXBI | 91.3 MHz | Lebak |
| Brigada News FM Dipolog | DXID | 107.7 MHz | Dipolog |
| Brigada News FM Pagadian | DXVV | 105.7 MHz | Pagadian |
| Brigada News FM Zamboanga | DXZB | 89.9 MHz | Zamboanga City |
Majority of BMMC's stations are acquired from Baycomms (prior to the merger in 2013), hence becoming Brigada's official broadcast licensee, except the following stations that are either acquired or operated under airtime lease agreements:
- DWBM Manila, DZBM Baguio, DYAC Cebu, and DXAC Davao: Owned by Mareco Broadcasting Network.
- DWKM Naga, DWED Legazpi: Owned by Century Broadcasting Network.
- DWLH Sorsogon: Acquired from Hypersonic Broadcasting Center.
- DYMG Bacolod: Acquired from Armed Forces of the Philippines.
- DWCL Pampanga: Owned by UBC Media Ministries.
- Brigada News FM Zamboanga first utilized 93.1 FM under airtime lease from Audiovisual Communicators Inc. in 2013 before moving to Baycomms-owned 89.9 FM in 2015.
Brigada TV
Analog Free TV
| Branding | Callsign | Channel | Power (kW) | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigada TV | DXBC-TV | TV-39 | 10 kW | Originating | General Santos |
Digital Free TV
| Branding | Callsign | Ch. # | Frequency | Power | Type | Area of Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigada TV | DXBC-DTV | 37 | 611.143 MHz | 500 watts | Originating | General Santos |
Cable TV
| Cable/Satellite Provider | Channel | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Marbel Cable | 21 | Koronadal |
| Sky Cable Gensan | 35 | General Santos |
| JVL Star Cable | 15 | Koronadal |
| Sky Cable Polomolok | 15 | Polomolok |
| Sky Cable Maguindanao | 44 | Maguindanao/Cotabato |
Products
Unlike other media entities, Brigada Mass Media does not rely on any third-party advertisements from major companies. Brigada News FM and TV stations acts as a sales and marketing arm of these Healthline products under the Brigada Healthline Corporation. Brigada Healthline products are also aired as an early morning blocktimer on 91.5 Win Radio Manila as of 2017.[7]
- Power Cells Herbal Capsule
- Drivemax Herbal Dietary Supplement Capsule
- Guard-C 500 mg Capsule (Ascorbic Acid as Calcium Ascorbate)
- Power Cells Liniment
- NutriCleanse Herbal Capsule
- Power Cells Soya Coffee
- Fast Relax Ibuprofen-Paracetamol Capsule
- Panamed Mefenamic Acid Capsule
- CuraMed Herbal Dietary Supplement Capsule
- Maxan Mangosteen-Xantone Capsule
- Maxan 8 in 1 Coffee
- DriveMax Adult Coffee
- Hard Bull Dietary Supplement Capsule for Men
- YummyVit Syrup and Capsule
- Bossing Premium Detergent
- Bridgette Cosmetics
- Lala Cosmetics
- AeroLube Engine Treatment Oil
- Nigari
References
- ^ House Bill No. 3240
- ^ Healthline
- ^ Brigada News FM Stations
- ^ Brigada News FM National
- ^ "History". Brigada.ph. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ "NTC FM Stations (as of June 2022) via FOI website" (PDF). foi.gov.ph. February 14, 2023.
- ^ "A Mindanao reporter's magical success". MindaNews. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2015.