Sonshine Media Network International

Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), also known by its legal name Swara Sug Media Corporation (SSMC), is a Filipino broadcast media arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) led by the Filipino televangelist Apollo Quiboloy. Based in Davao City and Makati, it operates a network of radio and television broadcasting stations.

Swara Sug Media Corporation

The logo of SMNI since 2010
Trade name	Sonshine Media Network International
Company type	Private
Industry	Mass media
Founded	1987 (1987)
Headquarters	KJC Compound, Carlos P. Garcia Highway, Sasa, Buhangin, Davao City, Philippines ACQ Tower, Santa Rita St., Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati, Philippines
Key people	Marlon Rosete (President and CEO)
Brands	SMNI SMNI News Channel Sonshine Radio
Services	Broadcast Television Radio Streaming
Owner	Kingdom of Jesus Christ (53.46%) Phoebus Capital Holdings Inc. (46.2%) Jesus Christ Workers Members Cooperative (19%) Marlon Rosete (13%)
Parent	Kingdom of Jesus Christ
Channel information (SMNI)
Type	Broadcasting network (Terrestrial television network; 2005–2023 Pay TV television channel; since 2003)
Broadcast area	Philippines Worldwide (satellite and online)
Programming
Language(s)	English Filipino
Picture format	16:9 480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner	Swara Sug Media Corporation
Sister channels	SMNI News Channel
History
Launched	2000 (2000)
Founder	Apollo Quiboloy
Closed	December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)
Former names	ACQ Broadcasting Network (1987–1992) ACQ Worldwide Broadcast Ministries Q-Channel (1992–2003) Net39 (1999–2000) ETV-39 (1998–2001) ACQ Kingdom Broadcasting Network (2003–2010)
Website	www.smni.com

It currently owns and operates a sister channel (SMNI News Channel), the broadcasting network is available over terrestrial broadcast in the Philippines, and on cable, satellite, and online streaming worldwide. The network now owns and operates two television networks, where the main flagship station, based in Davao City, maintains an uninterrupted 24-hour service through regular repetition of a dozen self-produced Kingdom Programs in English, Filipino, and dozens of foreign languages along with news, public affairs, public service, infotainment, sports and entertainment programs. On the other hand, the network's sister channel SMNI News Channel, based in Makati, primarily provides rolling news coverage and public affairs programs, which broadcasts exclusively in Digital TV format in Metro Manila, Metro Davao, Benguet and Cagayan de Oro. It also maintains a network of radio stations under the "Sonshine Radio" brand of the Swara Sug Media Corporation. SMNI also has print publications such as Guide Magazine, Pinas Newspaper and Sikat Newspaper.

The broadcasting network was licensed in late 2003 by the Philippine government to operate seven analog free-to-air television channels in key cities across the country. It also has two digital terrestrial channels in Metro Manila and Metro Davao.

SMNI has been the object of various criticisms, particularly centering on right-wing populist bias and handling its own coverage through forms of disinformation.

History

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ's Media Ministry, known today as SMNI, began on the radio with the program "Pagsusi sa Kamatuoran" (Searching for Truth/Paghahanap ng Katotohanan) on radio stations DXDC and DXUM. The television ministry began in 1991, when they launched their first television program, "The Hour of Truth" aired nationally on IBC and ABS-CBN stations in the Visayas and Mindanao, followed by "Powerline" in 1995.

In July 2000, The Kingdom of Jesus Christ officially launched its 24-hour cable network, "The Q Channel" (then also known as "ACQ–TV, Q Channel", not to be confused with defunct Philippine TV network QTV), bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom from Davao City to key cities around the Philippines, which was carried by Sky Cable in Davao City, General Santos, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Tagum and Baguio.

On 25 April 2003, The Q Channel became the "ACQ–Kingdom Broadcasting Network" (ACQ-KBN), with an expanded reach across the Asia-Pacific region and the United States via satellite, using its own satellite uplink Broadcast station located at Davao Central, also carrying the new slogan "Delivering the Good news 24 hours a day, 7 days a week". During also in the same year, ACQ-KBN launched its first TV station Sonshine TV-43 Davao, and introduced new religious programs such as Give Us This Day, Sounds of Worship, Batang Kaharian (lit. Kingdom Child), Way Ahead, Highest Praise, Quiet Moments and many more.

In 2004, ACQ-KBN signed an agreement with GlobeCast World TV, which aims to expand its broadcast footprint around the world. In the same year also that KJC through ACQ-KBN launched its own radio station in Davao City as "DXAQ Kingdom Radio 1404 AM".

In March 2005, KJC and ACQ-KBN acquired the congressional franchise, ownership and management of the Swara Sug Media Corporation (SSMC). at the same day, ACQ-KBN and SSMC acquired all the NBC Angel Radyo AM stations from Nation Broadcasting Corporation, which in turn, operated as the "Sonshine Radio" network.

On 6 November 2005, DWAQ-TV Channel 39 signed on the air and began its test broadcast as "ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 Metro Manila". On 8 January 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV 39 was launched during the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which held at the PhilSports Arena, the network ventured from Cable TV broadcasting to Free-to-Air TV broadcasting, and broadcasts with the transmitter power of 60 kilowatts.

On 5 June 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV launched "Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI)" as News and Public Affairs block which became a tie-up of ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 in Metro Manila and ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-43 in Davao, with the original slogan "Service First, Right Here, Right Now, Worldwide".

On 30 July 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV is now on Nationwide with more than 500 cable TV operators across the Philippines.

On 4 January 2009, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-37 in Santiago, Isabela officially signed on as the network's third TV station during the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Buenavista Barangay Hall in Santiago, Isabela. A few months later on 10 May 2009, The ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 Butuan was also launched after the first global thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Luciana Convention Center in Butuan.

In August 2010, a merger took place between ACQ-KBN and Sonshine TV, as the two programming blocks had been consolidated. As a result, the ACQ-KBN branding ceased to exist, and officially relaunched under the newly rebranded "SMNI". Coinciding with this, the network unveiled its new slogan "Alternative media, Alternative power, it Sustains Life" (first slogan) and "Informs, Delivers, Transforms" (second slogan), along with its new station ID.

In January 2011, SMNI adopted another new slogan, "Where Everything is Possible", also with its new station ID.

On 24 May 2016, SMNI launched its own News and Public affairs channel as SMNI News Channel and it is exclusively aired over Digital Terrestrial Television on UHF Channel 40 in Metro Manila until 31 December 2022 (move to UHF Channel 43 starting 1 January 2023) and its internet Live streaming.

On 31 August 2019, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11422 which renewed Swara Sug Media Corporation license for another 25 years. The law grants SSMC a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes, radio broadcasting stations and television stations, including digital television system, with the corresponding facilities such as relay stations, throughout the Philippines.

On 26 January 2022, the National Telecommunications Commission assigned the network's television frequency on channel 43 which was formerly used by Mareco Broadcasting Network as a TV carry-over station of 105.1 Crossover from 1994 to 2000 and AMCARA Broadcasting Network for ABS-CBN's DTT broadcast on ABS-CBN TV Plus from 2013 to 2020. On 1 January 2023, SMNI began to transmit its digital test broadcast on UHF Channel 43 (647.143 MHz) as its permanent frequency assigned by NTC.

On 19 February 2023, SMNI DTT Channel 43 officially signed on during the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal. The network covered in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Channel 43 will be used as the main channel of SMNI on DTT, while retaining the use of Channel 39 as a secondary channel after transitioning from analog to digital signal.

SMNI TV programs

Main article: List of Sonshine Media Network International original programming

Main article: SMNI News Channel § Programming

Domestic stations

TV stations

• Offline as of December 2023 due to NTC's shutdown order

TV nationwide

Branding	Callsign	Ch. #	Power (kW)	Station type	Location (transmitter site)
SMNI TV-43 Davao	DXAQ-TV	TV-43	50 kW	Originating	Shrine Hills, Matina, Davao City
SMNI TV-35 Laoag	DWSB-TV	TV-35	5 kW	Relay	Laoag
SMNI TV-38 Vigan	DWSP-TV	TV-38	5 kW	Relay	Vigan
SMNI TV-37 Isabela	DWSA-TV	TV-37	2 kW	Relay	Santiago, Isabela
SMNI TV-39 Roxas	DYSW-TV	TV-39	1 kW	Relay	Roxas City, Capiz
SMNI TV-39 Butuan	DXSW-TV	TV-39	5 kW	Relay	Butuan

Digital terrestrial television

Terrestrial	Callsign	Ch. #	Frequency	Power	Area of Coverage
Digital	DWAQ-DTV	39 (Digital Test Broadcast)	623.143 MHz	10 kW	Metro Manila
		43 (Digital Test Broadcast)	647.143 MHz
		44 (Digital Test Broadcast)	653.143 MHz	5.5 kW
Digital	DXAQ-TV	19 (Digital Test Broadcast)	503.143 MHz	5 kW	Davao

SMNI TV on pay television

Cable Provider	Ch. #	Coverage
Cablelink	95	Metro Manila
Destiny Cable	162 on Digital
Sky Cable	162 on Digital	Metro Manila Batangas Bulacan
	59	Metro Baguio
Mountainview Satellite Corporation	90
Prime Cable Network	39	Sagada
Sky Cable	10	Metro Laoag
Sunshine CATV	73
Vigan Satellite Cable TV	73	Vigan
Eaglevision Cable	64
Pangasinan Educational Cable TV	35	Alaminos
USATV	58	Dagupan
Sky Cable	95
Genmar Cable Communications	44	Rosales
Eaglevision Cable	64	Binalonan
RBC Cable Master System	90	Tuguegarao
Clearview Cable TV System	78
Regal Cable TV Network	52	Santiago
New City Cable System	84
Cablelink	95	Santa Maria
Angeles City Cable Television Network	84	Angeles, Pampanga
Multi-Network Cable Company	50	Cabanatuan
Prime Cable Network	66
Muñoz Satellite TV System, Inc.	97	Muñoz
Home Choice Cable TV	90
Eaglevision Cable	64	Moncada
Sky Cable	162	Cavite City
Suburban Cable Network	105
Cablelink	95	Bacoor
Dasca Cable	113	Dasmariñas
Community Cable TV	78	Los Baños
Royal Cable	35	Santa Rosa
Sky Cable	162
Puerto Princesa CATV	18	Puerto Princesa
Prime Cable Network	80
Charles Cable TV System	11	Cataingan
Prime Cable Network	76
Charles Cable TV System	13	Masbate
Masbate Cable, Inc.	90
Prime Cable Network	54	Daraga, Albay
DCTV Cable Network	114
		Legazpi
ESTV Cable Network	87
Caceres Cable TV	65	Metro Naga
DCTV Cable Network	114
		Sorsogon
HLTV Cable Network	108
Aklan Cable TV Network	45	Kalibo
Kalibo Cable TV Network	100
Filvision Alto Cable	42	Roxas
Wesfardell Cable Service	89
Sky Cable	50	Metro Iloilo
Cable Star Inc.	64
Sky Cable	51	Metro Bacolod
New Bacolod Cable	132
Sky Cable Cebu	37	Metro Cebu
Misamis Cable TV Network	76
Cine Cebu Television Network	99	Lapu-Lapu
Sky Cable	64	Metro Dumaguete
Fil-Products Cable Company	76
	62	Tacloban
Leyte Cable TV Network	14
Fil-Products Cable Company	81	Calbayog
Sky Cable Zamboanga	49	Zamboanga City
Prime Cable Network	37	Sindangan
Misamis Cable TV Network	69	Ozamiz
Fil-Products Cable Company	90
Parasat Cable TV	18	Cagayan de Oro
Jade Cable TV	37
Sky Cable	51	Cotabato
Cotabato Cable TV Network	57
Sky Cable	37	General Santos
Santo Niño Cable TV System	97
Sky Cable	29	Polomolok
JVL Star Cable	97
Rapnic Cable TV System	47	Pantukan
Sky Cable	14	Tagum
	14 and 46	Davao Central
Davao Cableworld Network	97
Fil Products Cable Company	97	Butuan
Z-Energy CATV	49
		Buenavista
		Kitcharao
	83	Medina
	08	Alegria
	78	Placer
	69	Salay
		Talisayan
Cignal	186	Nationwide
GSat Direct TV	40

*And 500 Cable TV Operators in the Philippines.

Radio stations

Sonshine Radio

Type	Broadcast AM Radio Network
Branding	Sonshine Radio
Country	Philippines
Availability	Defunct
Founded	January 29, 2005 (2005-01-29)
Parent	Swara Sug Media Corporation
Key people	Admar R. Vilando (Station Manager)
Launch date	January 29, 2005 (2005-01-29)
Dissolved	December 21, 2023 (2023-12-21)

Branding	Callsign	Frequency	Power (kW)	Location
Sonshine Radio Davao	DXRD	711 kHz	10 kW	Davao
Sonshine Radio Manila	DZAR	1026 kHz	50 kW	Metro Manila
Sonshine Radio Dagupan	DZRD	981 kHz	10 kW	Dagupan
Sonshine Radio Tuguegarao	DZYT	765 kHz	5 kW	Tuguegarao
Sonshine Radio Santiago	DWSI	864 kHz	5 kW	Santiago
Sonshine Radio Cabanatuan	DWAY	1332 kHz	5 kW	Cabanatuan
Sonshine Radio Cebu	DYAR	765 kHz	10 kW	Cebu

Former stations

Branding	Callsign	Frequency	Power (kW)	Location
Sonshine Radio Laoag	DWAR	819 kHz	5 kW	Laoag
Sonshine Radio Ilagan	DZYI	711 kHz	5 kW	Cauayan/Ilagan
Sonshine Radio San Pablo	DZSP	864 kHz	5 kW	San Pablo
Sonshine Radio Zamboanga	DXYZ	963 kHz	5 kW	Zamboanga
Sonshine Radio Davao Central (Kingdom Radio)	DXAQ	1404 kHz	5 kW	Davao Central
Sonshine Radio Cagayan De Oro	DXCL	1098 kHz	10 kW	Cagayan De Oro
Sonshine Radio General Santos	DXRE	837 kHz	5 kW	General Santos
Sonshine Radio Cotabato	DXRO	945 kHz	5 kW	Cotabato
Sonshine Radio Butuan	DXRB	873 kHz	5 kW	Butuan
Sonshine Radio Bislig	DXBL	801 kHz	5 kW	Bislig

Partnership talks with CGTN

This section is an excerpt from SMNI News Channel § Partnership talks with CGTN.[edit]

During former President Rodrigo Duterte's meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping in July 2023, SMNI personnel, along with Quiboloy, met with Chinese state media CGTN executives to discuss a partnership for efficient information dissemination.

Controversies

Alleged bias and far-right content

SMNI has been a subject of many criticisms and allegations from independent media watchdogs, particularly on misinformation, false accusation, and right-wing bias while maintaining its editorial control. Media institutions and sectoral rights groups have accused SMNI of spreading misinformation and fake news while at the same time attacking critics of the Duterte administration and several media outlets in the form of "red-tagging".

Termination of YouTube channel and Facebook page

On 7 July 2023, YouTube terminated the channels of SMNI and one of its programs, Laban Kasama ang Bayan (transl. Fight with the People), along with KJC, following a previous ban on Quiboloy's YouTube channel which was terminated on 21 June. Google later stated that their actions were in compliance with existing sanctions by the United States against Quiboloy pursuant to the US Global Magnitsky Act and harmful misinformation regarding red-tagging; Quiboloy was previously indicted by the United States Department of Justice on charges of human trafficking and child sexual abuse.

Quiboloy and SMNI later created accounts on the alt-tech video service Rumble as well as an alternate account for SMNI on YouTube in defiance of sanctions. The alternate account was suspended by YouTube a few days later. On 15 September 2023, the SMNI News Facebook page was deleted, in accordance to Meta's Dangerous Organizations and Individuals Policy. Despite these, SMNI continues to evade from ban by creating and launching multiple pages under different names.

House franchise probe

On 28 November 2023, the Philippine House Committee on Legislative Franchises launched an investigation on SMNI, following a report claimed by Laban Kasama ang Bayan co-host Jeffrey Celiz about travel expenses allocated to House Speaker Martin Romualdez where he spent ₱1.8 billion. Quezon 2nd District Representative David Suarez called the report "fake news". The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) also flagged SMNI, Celiz and co-host Lorraine Badoy for violating its Code of Ethics even when they were unaccredited broadcasters.

SMNI faced legal scrutiny following the investigation, including the revocation of its congressional franchise. PBA Partylist Representative Margarita Nograles filed a resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to suspend the broadcast operations of SMNI for allegedly violating its franchise's terms and conditions.

Suspension of operations

On 21 December 2023, the NTC, in response to the House resolution, announced that it had issued two days earlier a 30-day suspension order on the broadcast operations of SMNI for alleged violations of its franchise, as well as a show cause order against the media network, giving them 15 days from receipt of the order to provide explanation on why it should not be administratively sanctioned.

SMNI later filed motions, urging three NTC officials to inhibit from its administrative case due to perceived bias, and asking the NTC to specify and detail their violations; the latter request was denied. On 22 January 2024, the suspension was made indefinite by the NTC citing the network's failure to comply with an earlier order.

At the time of issuance of the first order, the network had 13 radio stations (10 in AM, three in FM), 14 television stations, and 22 digital terrestrial television stations.

Franchise revocation attempt

On 12 March 2024, the Philippine House Committee on Legislative Franchises, headed by the committee chair Gustavo Tambunting, approved House Bill No. 9710 (filed by 1-Rider Partylist Representative Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez) without amendments. The bill seeks to revoke the franchise given to Sonshine Media Network International for several violations found by lawmakers. Eight days later, the Committee approved the bill on third and final reading; the bill is waiting for Senate approval. If signed into law by President Bongbong Marcos, it will repeal Republic Act No. 11422, which extended the franchise granted to Swara Sug under RA 8122.

Relationship with other media outlets

In November 2019, one of his daily comedic discussions following a performance by Gian Magdangal on Tawag ng Tanghalan: Celebrity Champions, Vice Ganda made a joke after the founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Apollo Quiboloy, among other claims of being responsible for stopping calamities, claimed that he was responsible for stopping the 2019 Cotabato earthquakes. Vice Ganda jokingly challenged Quiboloy to stop the airing of It's Showtime, which is one of the longest-running ABS-CBN television programs alongside FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, and the constant traffic on EDSA, a major road network in Metro Manila. Members of Quiboloy's church took offense and expressed their dismay for Vice Ganda. Radio broadcaster and SMNI anchor, Mike Abe, a friend of Quiboloy, defended the founder and criticized Vice heavily in his program. Two days after the joke, Quiboloy instead threatened that he will not only stop FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, but also to shutdown ABS-CBN as a whole within four months. The network went off-air in 2020 in a controversial franchise denial by the legislature, an act that was seen by Quiboloy and his followers as the fulfillment of his previous remarks against the comedian.

During the airing of SMNI's Laban Kasama ang Bayan, its hosts Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz and Lorraine Badoy have accused journalists, including Atom Araullo and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, and media outlets, such as Bulatlat, of being part of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Libel lawsuit

On 14 May 2024, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed defamation and cyberlibel complaint affidavits with the Quezon City Prosecutors's Office against host Guillermina Barrido and several other SMNI hosts and executives following an interview where Barrido spoke of alleged false accusations that Trillanes persuaded and paid her to be a fake witness against then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

See also

• Kingdom of Jesus Christ
• Sonshine Radio
• KJC King Dome

References

• "ACQ KBN granted franchise to open 38 free TV stations". Sun.Star Davao. December 27, 2003. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
• "Globecast ACQ-KBN satellite channel listing". Archived from the original on October 30, 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2005.

External links

• Official website