DWQZ
DWQZ (97.9 FM), broadcasting as 97.9 Home Radio, is a commercial broadcast radio station owned and operated by the Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, serving as the flagship station of the Home Radio Network. Its studio is located at the 5th floor, Citystate Centre, 709 Shaw Blvd., Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig City, and its transmitter is located at Nuestra Señora Dela Paz Subdivision, Sumulong Highway, Brgy. Santa Cruz, Antipolo City, Rizal. It operates 24/7 except on Mondays where it goes off the air from midnight to 4:00 AM and on Holy Week annually where it goes off the air at midnight of Holy Thursday and resumes at 4:00 AM of Easter Sunday (Temporarily, the station operates daily from 6 AM to 9 PM due to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine in some areas during the lockdown for COVID-19 will be extended on August 18.) Since 2015, 979 Home Radio is headed by Braggy Braganza.
 | |
| City | Pasig City |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Mega Manila, and surrounding areas |
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz |
| Branding | 97.9 Home Radio |
| Slogan | Feels Good To Be Home! |
| Programming | |
| Format | Easy Listening, Soft Adult Contemporary |
| Network | Home Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Aliw Broadcasting Corporation (Insular Broadcasting System) |
| Sister stations | DWIZ |
| History | |
| First air date | October 1994 |
| Former call signs | DWCD-FM (1982–1997) |
| Call sign meaning | DWQZ (variant of sister station DWIZ) |
| Technical information | |
| Class | A/B/C |
| Power | 25,000 watts |
| ERP | 60,000 watts |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live (via Ustream) |
| Website | http://www.979homeradio.com/ |
History
1994–2014: First easy listening era
97dot9 Home Radio started its broadcast in October 1994.[1] Dubbed as the "#1 Easy Listening Station" in Metro Manila, it adopted an easy listening format, focusing from the 90s to present. After gaining success in half a year, it was then implemented to its provincial stations. Aside from its usual programming from Mondays to Saturdays, it aired variety hits programming during Sundays.
In 2006, Home Radio introduced its first 24-hour fully automated DJ Jackie (voiced by Lannie Chan). In 2009, it recruited female (and later, male) DJs on board, following the less talk, more music style.
On February 28, 2014, after 14 years, the Home Radio network bade goodbye to its easy listening format, following its transition for the next 2 weeks, leaving 96.3 Easy Rock as the sole Soft AC station in the market.
2014–2015: Masa era
On March 17, 2014, the Home Radio network reformatted to a masa format, with a new slogan, "Natural!". Managed by Bryan "Idol T-Bone" Quitoriano, with the air team retained, they were named after fruits. OPM singers Jimmy Bondoc and Duncan Ramos from the Sabado Boys fame, came to the station in July with their own radio program "The R&B Show: The Ramos and Bondoc Show," but got cancelled by the end of that year. In November 2014, the Home Radio branding was returned.
2015–2017: Top 40 era
On April 5, 2015, the station was revamped once more, with a different sound and at the same time, it adapted the new positioner "Be You". Managed by Migz Anzuares (of RT), its format was CHR music with an emphasis on OPM, simply known as CHR Local.
By the end of 2015, the "Natural!" slogan was dropped & replaced with "The Music of Now" and the catchphrase " The Home Of the Millennials" with Braggy Braganza (of 97.1 CAMPUS RADIO WLS-FM, MMDA Traffic Radio & DZSR SPORTS RADIO) as the brain child of the new format and took over as the new station manager. Home Radio shifted to a full-fledged CHR station. It slowly got the attention of the youth until it became a favorite of the Millennials. The station also launched its student DJ search called "Aircheck 979", where various student DJs were tapped from different schools & universities around the country.
2017–present: Second easy listening era
On June 30, 2017 at 9am, Home Radio (now read as nine-seven-nine) abruptly discontinued its CHR programming in order to target a broader audience.[2] Public clamor for the station's return to its legendary easy listening format after 3 years of hiatus, in which its eventual reinstatement came into fruition. New stingers, as well as the station's new jingle, which was sung by Chi Bocobo, contained the phrase "It Feels Good to be Home", were also unveiled, coinciding the station's reformat.
See also
- DWIZ 882 - an AM radio station also owned by Aliw Broadcasting Corporation
References
- 97.9 Home Radio 24 years strong
- Always feels good to be ‘Home’ Business World, February 11, 2018
