DZRH Nationwide 666
DZRH Nationwide 666, the flagship AM station of the Manila Broadcasting Company, now carrying the brand name MBC Media Group since Feb. 6, 2024), is the longest running commercial radio station in the Philippines. Its programs are mostly devoted to news, commentaries, public service, and remains home to radio drama shows.
It was launched in 1939 as KZRH, then the fourth commercial radio station to operate in Manila at that time. The station was first owned and operated by H.E. Heacock Company of American Samuel Gaches. The Elizalde family, headed by the late ambassador Joaquin Miguel Elizalde, bought the station in 1946, the same year the United States declared Philippine independence.
Its initial programming consisted of musical variety shows, comedy skits and short newscasts, until it was used for propaganda during the second World War.
In 1949, then operating under the Manila Broadcasting Company of the Elizaldes, it became the first radio station to simulcast nationwide, in AM and shortwave frequencies.
After Martial Law was declared in 1972, DZRH was among the media outlets ordered shut down by the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. It reopened later and the station was allowed to operate under strict government censorship.
DZRH faced more challenges in recent years. In 2019, the MBC headquarters in Pasay City, housed inside the compound of its sister company Star City, an amusement park, was gutted by fire damaging five radio booths and its pay television arm, DZRH NewsTelevision. Secondary broadcast facilities set up five years prior were activated allowing continued operations of the station. The renovation of the MBC building took two years to complete.
The pandemic in 2020, which resulted in strict lockdowns, was again a blow to the station’s operations. Regular programming was suspended in most media outlets, and for DZRH, its radio dramas and news television programs took the hit.
Its reach and reputation has enabled DZRH to again find its footing following these challenges and in the second quarter of 2023 took the number two AM station ranking in the country with an audience share of 29.64% based on Nielsen’s Mega Manila Radio Audience Measurement.
Proof of its continued popularity is the station’s roster of politicians and government officials co-hosting programs that enables them to promote their accomplishments and programs. These include senators, cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries, and heads of government agencies.
Audience Share
29.64%
Ownership Type
Private
Geographic Coverage
National
Content Type
Free content
Media Companies / Groups
MBC Media Group
Ownership Structure
DZRH Nationwide 666 is owned by the MBC Media Group, whose parent company is Elizalde Holdings Corporation (EHC). MBC’s top two stockholders EHC and Elizalde Land, Inc. are corporations owned by the Elizalde family.
Voting Rights
Shareholders are entitled to one vote per share, which may be exercised in person or by proxy at shareholders’ meetings, including the annual stockholders’ meeting. MBC only issues common shares. Voting can be done via poll or show of hands.
Individual Owner
Group / Individual Owner
Joel F. Ortillo
Joel F. Ortillo is the president and chairman of AQG Corporation. According to the 2023 definitive information statement of MBC, he is the beneficial owner of 8.19% shares being held by AQG Corporation in the broadcasting company.
PCD Nominee Corporation
The MBC Media Group did not disclose who are the holder/s of 0.51% shares entered into the PCD Nominee Corporation, which is a financial holding company with the legal title to immobilized shares lodged in the Philippine Central Depository, Inc. system and operates as a subsidiary of Philippine Central Depository.
General Information
Founding Year
1939
Affiliated Interests Founder
was the owner of H.E. Heacock Company, a department store chain that he bought from its namesake owner H.E. Heacock in 1909. Knowing that radio can be used to advertise his stores and draw more customers, he originally founded the station as KZRH in 1939. The letters “RH” stood for Radio Heacock.
Affiliated Interests Ceo
is the CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Manila Broadcasting Company, which changed its brand name into MBC Media Group on Feb. 6, 2024. He concurrently serves as the chairman/president of Elizalde Holdings Corporation, Philippine International Corporation, Star Parks Corporation (Star City), and Northern Capiz Agro-Industrial Development Corporation.
Affiliated Interests Editor-In-Chief
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Affiliated Interests other important people
is the station manager of DZRH and is concurrently the corporate secretary and vice president for legal and regulatory compliance group of MBC. He also serves in various capacities in MBC affiliates: chairman of Pacific Broadcasting System, Inc. and a board director of Philippine Broadcasting Corporation, Elizalde Land, Inc., Sunshine Inns, Inc., Elizalde Holdings Corporation, Star Parks Corporation and Philippine International Corporation. Aside from his roles in MBC, Jularbal serves as vice chairperson of the government-controlled entity John Hay Management Corporation. He is also the general counsel and spokesperson of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and general counsel of the Ad Standards Council.
is the current president of MBC, who has served as a director since 1988. He is an executive in Elizalde Holdings Corporation, Cebu Broadcasting Company, Elizalde Land, Inc., Sunshine Inns, Inc. and Philippine International Corporation. He is the incumbent chairman of KBP, and is a member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Makati Business Club.
is the vice president for DZRH and hosts two of the station's programs: Damdaming Bayan and Breaktime. Known by his listeners as “Lakay”, he is a veteran broadcaster who has received various awards including the best radio broadcaster from the Manila Overseas Press Club and outstanding broadcaster from the Public Attorney’s Office last October 2023.
son of MBC Chairman Federico Elizalde, is the company’s senior vice president for operations. He is also the president of MBC affiliate Cebu Broadcasting Company.
a renowned Filipino prima ballerina, has been married to Federico J. Elizalde since 1997. She manages the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet as artistic director and directress. She also hosts an arts-oriented program entitled “2 Art 2 with Lisa Macuja-Elizalde” on DZRH and its cable channel counterpart.
Julio Manuel P. Macuja, the executive vice president for treasury of MBC, is the brother-in-law of Federico Jr. Elizalde. He has been a director in MBC since 1999, and is a director of Elizalde Holdings Corporation and Star Parks Corporation. He was part of the treasury group of the Bank of the Philippine Islands. An economics graduate from Ateneo De Manila University, he previously worked as acting director of the Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs and part-time faculty member of the school’s economics department.
is concurrently a senior vice president and chief finance officer of MBC and Elizalde Holdings Corporation. He is also the chairman and president of Philippine Broadcasting Corporation. As a licensed accountant, he is a member of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
is an accountant, and has been an independent board director in MBC since 2016. At present, he is the internal auditor of KBP and financial consultant of Ad Standard Council. He worked with the Elizalde Group of Companies in various capacities from 1974 to 2002. He also served as chief finance officer of ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. from 2003 to 2005.
has been an independent director of MBC since 2003. He is the president of Healthlab Inc., a full-service diagnostics laboratory and medical examination facility. He served as executive vice president/chief operating officer of Star Parks Corporation from 2000 to 2002. He also worked for the FJE Group of Companies as vice president and treasurer from 1997 to 2000 and corporate planning director in 1995 to 1997. From 1988 to 1991, he was an account officer in Solidbank and Boston Bank.
the vice president-controller and compliance officer of MBC, is the president of MBC affiliate Pacific Broadcasting System, Inc.. He is also a director of affiliates Cebu Broadcasting Company and Philippine Broadcasting Company. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Contact
MBC Bldg., Vicente Sotto Street
CCP Complex, Pasay City
Telephone: +632 (02) 8832-6149
Website: www.dzrh.com.ph/
Financial Information
Revenue (in Mill. $)
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Operating Profit (in Mill. $)
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Advertising (in % of total funding)
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Market Share
Missing Data
Further Information
Meta Data
Audience share is based on Nielsen’s Mega Manila Radio Audience Measurement from April to June 2023.
The 2022 consolidated financial statement of the MBC Media Group did not specify the operating profit and breakdown of revenues and advertising generated by its radio stations and other media assets. It also included revenues from subsidiaries.
The ownership stake of the Elizalde family in MBC is 89.74% based on the shares of Elizalde Holdings Corporation (72.38%) and its subsidiaries including those by the Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles law firm, which handles the trust fund (17.36 %) for the Elizalde family.
Official conversion rate on 17 October 2023: PhP56.836 per US$1.
Sources
Media Landscape Report for Quarter 2, 2023, available upon purchase from Nielsen Company (US), LLC
