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DWLS

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This article is about a radio station in the Philippines. For Chicago-based stations, see WLS-FM and WLS-AM.
DWLS (Barangay LS)
Broadcast areaMega Manila, and surrounding areas
Frequency97.1 MHz
BrandingBarangay LS 97.1
Programming
Language(s)Filipino
FormatContemporary MOR, OPM
NetworkBarangay FM
Ownership
OwnerGMA Network
History
First air date
June 1955; 69 years ago (1955-06)
Former call signs
DZXX (1955–1976)
Former frequencies
890 kHz (1955–1976)
Call sign meaning
Loreto Stewart (wife of Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart, founder of GMA Network)
Technical information
Licensing authority
NTC
ClassB, C, D, E
Power25,000 watts
ERP100,000 watts
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.gmanetwork.com/radio/dwls

DWLS (97.1 FM), broadcasting as Barangay LS 97.1, is a commercial radio station owned and operated by GMA Network subsidiary RGMA (Radio GMA), serving as the flagship FM station of Barangay FM.[1] The station's studio is located at the GMA Network Center Complex, EDSA corner Timog Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, with transmitter located at GMA Tower of Power Barangay Culiat, Tandang Sora, Quezon City, Philippines. DWLS-FM operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (with exception of the Paschal Triduum, during the annual Holy Week on terrestrial FM radio only).

Barangay LS 97.1 was recognized as the #1 FM radio station in Mega Manila, according to the Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement survey conducted in the month of May, 2017.[2]

History

1955–1976: DZXX

It first aired in June 1955, when "Uncle Bob" Stewart opened the DZXX-AM 890 kHz station, the first pop music station in the country on AM format.

1976–1992: WLS FM/The Giant

On July 1976, GMA launched 97.1 WLS FM as an adult standards and jazz station. In 1981, at the height of popularity of pop music, it switched to Adult Top 40 format, with the slogan The Best Music. It was known for playing hourly Beatles music every weekday early mornings, which was later on adopted by 100.3 RJFM. In November 1988, upon the completion of GMA's Tower of Power, WLS earned the brand, The Giant 97.1 WLS FM.

1992–2007: Campus Radio

When GMA was renamed as the "Rainbow Satellite Network" in early 1992, the station was reformatted on April 30, 1992 as Campus Radio 97.1 WLS FM, with a Top 40 format. This was to target teens & early adults. Its notable programs were the longest-running program on the station, the legendary "Top 20 at 12" (anchored by Milo Cavarlez aka The Triggerman, which was first heard on Kiss FM 101.1 (now 101.1 Yes The Best), where the top 20 songs of the day were counted down in the mold of BBC Radio 1's The Official Chart Show at noontime, and "Campus Aircheck", an institution of sorts for aspiring DJs to get hired by Campus Radio, touted as "the first school on the air".

In 1995, when Mike Enriquez took over the radio operations, Campus Radio was reformatted to a contemporary MOR format, earning its slogan "Forever!". At this time, a few programs were introduced, notably the Message Center, wherein one's message must not be a greeting. By the end of 1999, it shifted back to Top 40. During their heydays as an English-language radio station, they used jingles designed for the station by JAM Creative Productions.[3]

2007–present: Barangay LS

On February 14, 2007, Campus Radio rebranded as Barangay LS 97.1, using its old slogan, "Forever!". It reverts to a masa format. Despite Campus Radio's dominant ratings performance in the pop category, GMA's FM radio sales unit failed to sell the format. With consistently low sales figures, this paved the way for Mike Enriquez to successfully persuade the network's upper management to agree to shift WLS to a seemingly more profitable "masa" format. Most of the staff were retained, albeit changing their names. Unfortunately, the industry reception is lukewarm and Barangay LS has yet to regain the revenue losses incurred by the shift of advertisers to competing FM stations.[4][5]

Barangay LS 97.1 logo (2009–2011)

Last January 16, 2008 at around 6 pm, the station launched its new tagline, "Ayos!", which is also the tagline for RGMA's provincial Campus Radio stations. That same day, almost all of the staff who were also from the former Campus Radio format, and after years of loyal service to GMA Network, were summarily dismissed by Mike Enriquez. Despite rising from #7 to #4 in the ratings, Enriquez deemed them unfit to take the format to the ratings game. In turn, they were replaced unceremoniously by jocks from RGMA provincial radio stations as well as jocks from other masa stations.

Barangay LS 97.1 logo (2011–2014)

On January 17, 2011, facing competition with the latest masa stations, the new tagline "Tugstugan Na!" was launched and the station adopted the "crazy fun" sound brand in the market. Mike Enriquez was replaced by Glenn F. Allona as program director/station manager, aiming Barangay LS to bring back the focus on the staple of FM Programming which is music.

Barangay LS 97.1 logo (2015–2017)

On February 17, 2014, Barangay LS 97.1 was rebranded with reformatted programs, new jingle, a new logo & a new slogan called "Isang Bansa, Isang Barangay". Along its reformat, RGMA's FM radio stations carrying the Campus Radio brand (including 99.5 RT in Cebu, 103.5 Wow FM in Davao and Super Radyo DYRU 92.9 in Kalibo) adopted the Barangay FM branding. The network rebranding was made to compete with its rival FM radio network My Only Radio, owned by the network's competitor ABS-CBN, following the relaunch of DWRR-FM as MOR's flagship station seven months earlier.[6] On May 16, 2016 started simulcast broadcast of GMA News Program “24 Oras” Monday-Sunday

Barangay LS 97.1 logo (2017–2019)

In July 2019, the station readapted its original slogan "Forever!" (after it was dropped in 2008). Ken Chan and Rita Daniela performed its station's new jingle entitled Tayo ay Forever under GMA Music.[7][8]

On March 20, 2020, the station implements a scaled-down programming operation due to the present situation and conditions affecting the radio station's staff due to the enhanced quarantine against COVID-19. On the same day, the station began its hookup with the sister AM-station Super Radyo DZBB 594.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Official 'About' page for GMA Network". GMA Network. Archived from the original on August 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-16. GMA-7 cruises the airwaves through dzBB-AM and dwLS-FM in Manila and in 22 other radio stations throughout the country. In 2007, the company has reformatted its flagship station DWLS-FM as "Barangay LS Forever!"
  2. ^ "Barangay LS 97.1 is top FM station in Mega Manila". GMA Network. July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "Soundtrack of Batch '95". Manila Standard. June 27, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  4. ^ "From Campus to Barangay". Iskomunidad. February 20, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Fan Petitions for GMA Radio Format Flip". Radio Online Now. May 2, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  6. ^ Crispina Martinez-Belen (March 24, 2014). "Barangay LS: One Country, One Barangay, One Sound". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  7. ^ Inc, GMA New Media. "EXCLUSIVE: Ken Chan at Rita Daniela, aawit ng theme song ng Barangay LS | GMANetwork.com - Radio - Articles". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved July 26, 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Cruz, Angel Javier. "Barangay LS DJs share life lessons to fresh grads". philstar.com. Retrieved 2020-06-22.

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