Radio shows to air on GMA TV

STARTING April 24 , select programs of GMA network’s radio arm — DZBB — will air on the network’s news channel, GMA NEWS TV.

“This is a milestone of the very long history of DZBB,” said Miguel Castro Enriquez, president of RGMA Network, Inc., during a press conference yesterday.

From 6 a. m. to 11 a. m., four programs from the radio network’s morning bloc — what Mr. Enriquez described as the “prime time of radio” — will air simultaneously on radio and on TV.

“This,” said Mr. Enriquez, “was in response to the clamor of the fans.”

Programs include Saksi sa Dobol B hosted by Mr. Enriquez at 6 a.m., and an hour later he will be joined by Joel Reyes Zobel for Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide.

Afterwards, Ali Sotto (aka Maria Aloha Leilani Carag), Arnold Clavio, and Mr. Enriquez, will air their popular Sino Sa Dobol B which continues into Jeng- Jeng/ Balitawit.

“You can watch these programs on free TV without being a cable subscriber,” Mr. Enriquez said.

DZBB’s biggest rival, DZMM — owned by ABS-CBN — currently airs its radio programs on the Tele-Radyo cable channel while TV5’s Aksyon TV (also on cable) airs programs from the network’s FM news radio arm.

“This is the first time the network is seriously pursuing radio for TV,” Mr. Enriquez said, adding that “it’s time.”

He said Dobol B sa News TV, the name of the entire five-hour programming bloc, is the beginning of the network’s “digital initiative” which will bring about “big changes,” though he admitted that beyond that, he can’t give any more details.

“We’re bringing the urgency of radio to TV,” he added.

During the press conference, it was remarked that this move has been a long time coming but Mr. Clavio pointed out that “in the ’90s” GMA has aired an hourlong radio program on television,

Kape’t Balita, which featured Roberto Guanzon and Jessica Soho.

“We will remain a radio broadcast. You will not notice any difference. We are strengthening DZBB as a radio broadcasting station,” Mr. Enriquez explained.

Mr. Clavio, though said he’s not happy with the change “because once it’s on TV, it’s TV. The [selling point] of radio is its mystery,” but added that they’re treating the cameras as like “surveillance cameras” so nothing will change.

“At the end of the day, we’re radio people,” said Mr. Enriquez. —