MOR Philippines

MOR (My Only Radio For Life!) is a national brand of new media radio stations and a former terrestrial radio network operated by media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. As an on-air entity, MOR stations primarily played contemporary MOR and OPM music, as well as radio drama and talk content (news content via TV Patrol Regional was also available on selected stations). MOR started in 2001 as the FM brand of ABS-CBN Regional and terrestrially operated 15 radio stations in the Philippines.

My Only Radio For Life!
TypeBroadcast radio network (1995-August 2020)
New media network (since September 13, 2020)
Country
Philippines
AvailabilityRegional (before July 8, 2013-August 28, 2020)
National (July 8, 2013-August 28, 2020)
Global/Online (since September 13, 2020)
FoundedJuly 14, 2001 (2001-07-14)
Slogan"ABS-CBN Star Radio Network, The Heart of the City" (1995-1997)
"ABS-CBN Radio, The Heart of the City" (1997-1999)
"ABS-CBN, For Life!"
"Heart of our Radio" (1999-2001)
"My Only Radio, For Life!" (2001-present)
"My Only Radio Nationwide" (2015-present)
"It's not just radio, it's MOR!" (2016)
"Isang Pamilya Tayo, For Life!" (2016-2017, used only in provincial stations)
"My Number One and Only Radio, For Life!" (2016-2020, used only in Manila)
"My Only Radio, M-O-R!" (2017-present, used only in provincial stations as a Jingle but is now carried over as an online station)
"My Only Radio, MOR Philippines!" (2018-present)
HeadquartersABS-CBN Broadcasting Center, Sgt. Esguerra Avenue corner Mother Ignacia Street, Diliman, Quezon City
OwnerABS-CBN Corporation
DissolvedAugust 28, 2020 (2020-08-28) (Terrestrial broadcast operations ceased, since resurfaced to online as of September 13, 2020)
Former names
Radio Romance (1989-1994)
Star Radio (1994-1997)
ABS-CBN Radio (1997-2001)
ProStar (1997-2001)
Callsign meaning
My Only Radio
Official website
mor.abs-cbn.com

Since the forced shutdown of ABS-CBN brought about by the congressional denial of its franchise, MOR resurfaced as an online radio station on September 13, 2020 with operations on Facebook Live via MOR's respective city Facebook pages and a dedicated channel (MOR TV) on Kumu, a mobile streaming service based in the Philippines.

History and background

MOR was launched on July 14, 2001 in Cagayan de Oro City. The network's brand name was coined by Malvern Esparcia (Bernie Bitokbitok), which, aside from its meaning as My Only Radio, is meant to be a shorter designation to the province of Misamis Oriental, where Cagayan de Oro is based. It saw a rebrand of ABS-CBN's provincial FM stations, particularly in some long-time ones which were formerly branded as the ProStar network and ABS-CBN Radio prior to the relaunch. Numerous format changes occurred among its stations with similar program titles applied across provincial areas on July 15, 2001. MOR wasn't launched in Manila since its inception until it made a major change in mid-2013, when the company finally relaunched long-time independent station DWRR-FM (101.9 MHz) as the network's flagship station and effectively made MOR a truly national brand.

In a press conference held at the ABS-CBN Compound on June 1, 2018, coinciding the Manila station's ratings leadership and its announcement of this year's Pinoy Music Awards set on July 21, the Manila Radio and Regional divisions have agreed to relaunch MOR as MOR Philippines. Under its relaunched brand, the network will connect Manila and its provincial stations with unified program brands and strong music choices; thus, the new tagline "One Vibe, One Sound."[1] The MOR Philippines relaunch will be by phases which began on August 11.

On June 1, 2019, MOR stations in Manila, Cebu, and Baguio expanded its video streaming platform as exclusive channels to cable TV subscription service Sky Cable in their respective cities.

Shutdown

On May 5, 2020, due to the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission, all MOR stations have suspended their broadcasting activities, together with all ABS-CBN, S+A, and Radyo Patrol stations across the country after its legislative franchise expired.[2]

On July 15, 2020, ABS-CBN announced the painful pronouncement to its employees that the company would go into retrenchment on August 31, laying-off much of its employees after its new franchise was denied by the House of Representatives. The following day in an episode of Failon Ngayon sa TeleRadyo, DJ Chacha, anchor of Dear MOR and formerly Heartbeats confirmed that MOR Philippines would fold on the said retrenchment date.[3][4]

Instead of August 31, MOR Philippines signed-off in the evening on August 28, 2020, the day also ended together with ABS-CBN Regional's 12 local TV Patrol and 10 local morning shows.[5][6][7][8][9]

The former logo of MOR from 2001 to 2007.
The former logo of MOR as a regional radio network from 2007 to July 2013.
Logo used by MOR as a national network from July 2013 to January 2014.
Logo used by MOR as a national network from 2014 to 2017.
Logo of MOR from July 24, 2018 to August 28, 2020.

Network programming

Despite its unified branding, programming among stations remained to be handled separately between Manila and Regional stations. The network's Manila station is jointly managed by ABS-CBN's Manila Radio division, along with AM flagship station DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, and the Star Creatives group; MOR Regional's programming, meanwhile, is supplied under management of the company's Regional Network Group division.

MOR Philippines began its presence on August 11, 2018 with the launching of MOR Regional's weekend programs Dyis is It and MOR Presents, which began its Manila debut on the next day. Other adjustments are underway to unify MOR's branding across all its stations with plans to create more national programs for the network.

MOR Philippines also aired Pantawid ng Pag-ibig: At Home Together Concert on March 22, 2020. The concert was aimed to help the people who were in need because of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

The distinction of programming among Manila and regional stations ceased with the shutdown of MOR as a radio entity and its subsequent return as a new media entity (see below).

The return of MOR as a new media entity

On September 13, 2020, selected DJs of MOR Philippines, including those from Manila, were rehired by ABS-CBN to main the new phase of MOR as a digital broadcast/ new media entity, mirroring its network's flagship ABS-CBN (Kapamilya Channel) and TeleRadyo digital pivot and focusing on consolidated programming content over playing music like before as a terrestrial station (partly due to Facebook's restrictions on playing music, the new MOR focuses on playing Star Music songs). Select programs resurfaced under the new setup, but with multiple hosts depending on the region where the rehired jocks are from. Consequently, hosts from Visayas and Mindanao are forced to use Tagalog as their lingua franca for their respective MORe sa Umaga and several Dear MOR daily broadcasts.

Also, as part of this consolidation, programs formerly exclusive from MOR Manila (except for the flagship Dear MOR, which was renamed Dear MOR Presents: Dear Popoy and is not broadcast across all MOR Facebook pages and MOR TV on Kumu) are adopted by the regional MOR pages as well, such as Onsehan Na! (formerly Ready Get MORe: Level Up!) and SLR: Sex, Love and Relationships.

Current MOR Philippines Consolidated Programming
  • Dear MOR (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao editions - its Manila edition, the former flagship, has been renamed as Dear MOR Presents: Dear Popoy. Also, MOR Manila page is forced to carry regional editions of Dear MOR on its page aside from Dear Popoy as part of consolidated programming)
  • MORe sa Umaga (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; no Manila edition like before but is forced to carry regional editions on its page as part of consolidated programming)
  • Onsehan Na! (formerly Ready Get MORe: Level Up! of MOR Manila)
  • SLR: Sex, Love and Relationships (the only surviving show of MOR Manila completely carried over to the new MOR Philippines)
  • Hello KaMORekada (Timeslot for Luzon: 9pm - 10pm, Visayas: 8pm - 9pm and Mindanao: 7pm - 8pm, broadcasting at Facebook of regional MOR stations and carried over by the MOR Manila Facebook page as well as part of consolidation)

MOR Manila
  • MORning Pinas
  • Ready Get MORe: Level Up! (renamed as Onsehan Na! on the new MOR Philippines)
  • MOR Hits
  • Request Pa MORe!
  • DereCHAhan
  • MOR Favorites
  • MOR Pinoy Hits
  • MOR Soundtrip
  • MOR Presents with Kisses

MOR Regional

Current MOR Philippines Jocks
  • Chinapaps (formerly China Heart, MOR Manila, off-air head/ manager of the MOR Philippines Digital Team)
  • Popoy (MOR Manila)
  • Onse (Onse Tolentino, MOR Manila)
  • Chico Martin (Mark Jimel Gales, MOR Manila)
  • Bong Bastic (MOR Baguio)
  • Juan Romantiko (MOR Baguio)
  • Boy Agta (MOR Naga)
  • Natalie De Coco (MOR Dagupan)
  • Jacky G (MOR Cebu)
  • James Spider Kaka (MOR Cebu)
  • Daddy Sarge (MOR Iloilo)
  • Uncle Mac (MOR Tacloban)
  • Bernie Bitokbitok (Malvern Esparcia, MOR Cagayan De Oro)
  • David Bang (Dennis Ba-ang, MOR Cagayan De Oro)
  • Maria Feelingera (MOR Cagayan De Oro)
  • Bettina Gwapa (MOR Gensan)
  • Kokoy Martin (MOR Davao)

MOR Stations
Branding Callsign Frequency Power (kW) Location
MOR 101.9 My Number One and Only Radio For Life! Manila DWRR-FM 101.9 MHz 22.5 kW Mega Manila
MOR 95.5 My Only Radio Ditoy Latta! Laoag DWEL-FM 95.5 MHz 5 kW Laoag
MOR 94.3 My Only Radio Araratan! Dagupan DWEC-FM 94.3 MHz 10 kW Dagupan
MOR 103.1 My Only Radio Dayta Ah! Baguio DZRR-FM 103.1 MHz 5 kW Baguio
MOR 91.3 My Only Radio For Life! Isabela DWBA-FM 91.3 MHz 5 kW Santiago, Isabela
MOR 99.7 My Only Radio For Life! Española DYEA-FM 99.7 MHz 5 kW Sofronio Española, Palawan
MOR 99.9 My Only Radio Sikat! Puerto Princesa DYCU-FM 99.9 MHz 5 kW Puerto Princesa, Palawan
MOR 93.5 My Only Radio Yan ang MORe! Naga DWAC-FM 93.5 MHz 10 kW Naga, Camarines Sur
MOR 93.9 My Only Radio Pirmi Na! Legazpi DWRD-FM 93.9 MHz 5 kW Legazpi, Albay
MOR 91.1 My Only Radio Abaw Pwerte! Iloilo DYMC-FM 91.1 MHz 10 kW Iloilo City
MOR 101.5 My Only Radio Sikat! Bacolod DYOO-FM 101.5 MHz 10 kW Bacolod
MOR 97.1 My Only Radio Lupig Sila! Cebu DYLS-FM 97.1 MHz 20 kW Metro Cebu
MOR 94.3 My Only Radio Sikat! Tacloban DYTC-FM 94.3 MHz 10 kW Tacloban
MOR 91.9 My Only Radio Chuy Kay' Bai! Cagayan de Oro DXEC-FM 91.9 MHz 10 kW Cagayan de Oro
MOR 101.1 My Only Radio OK Kaayo! Davao DXRR-FM 101.1 MHz 10 kW Metro Davao
MOR 92.7 My Only Radio For Life! General Santos DXBC-FM 92.7 MHz 10 kW General Santos
MOR 95.1 My Only Radio For Life! Cotabato DXPS-FM 95.1 MHz 10 kW Cotabato City
MOR 98.7 My Only Radio Nah Ese Vale! Zamboanga DXFH-FM 98.7 MHz 10 kW Zamboanga City

Note:

  • ^ 1. Relay from MOR 103.1 Baguio.
  • ^ 2. Inactive since 2017 due to location.

Theme Music

Prior to MOR's nationalization, its theme music was recorded entirely by various local artists in English.

On July 8, 2013, together with the rebranding of MOR as a national brand, the theme was given a refresh and its music video was launched on ASAP 18, also performed by various artists. The current version of the refreshed jingle was recorded in both Filipino and English by Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, Vice Ganda, and Daniel Padilla; and was adopted by all MOR stations. Portions of the jingle contain elements from DWRR-FM's first For Life jingle for its first verse with altered lyrics and the pre-2013 MOR jingle era. The jingle was used until August 7, 2016, in favor of a romance-themed version recorded by Bailey May and Ylona Garcia. The 2nd version was used extensively on the Manila station from the day after, while provincial stations only adopted it on an occasional basis, as the ABS-CBN Regional group received its own set of jingles produced by Dennis Ba-ang (popularly known on-air as David Bang from MOR Cagayan De Oro). The management, however, reverted its primary jingle to the original 2013 version by June 4, 2017; with the newer rendition being used only as an alternate until it was retired weeks later.

On July 21, 2018, with the upcoming relaunch as MOR Philippines, a new network jingle was introduced during its Pinoy Music Awards, combining the 2013 jingle with David Bang's MOR regional stingers. Its new jingle was launched at noon of September 24, 2018. Toni, Vice, and Daniel were reintroduced to sing the revamped jingle. Two sub-versions were recorded in the 2018 refresh. One version omits the "For Life" phrase used by the Manila station to allow usage for MOR Regional stations where its respective cities provide a distinct local slogan among stations.

See also

References
  1. "MOR stations nationwide unite for stronger MOR Philippines". abscbnpr.com. abscbnpr.com. June 1, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  2. "ABS-CBN goes off-air after NTC order". Rappler. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  3. Baron, Gabriela (July 16, 2020). "Ces Drilon among ABS-CBN layoffs; MOR 101.9 signs off". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  4. "MOR, tuluyan nang magsasara; DJ Chacha, naiyak". ABS-CBN News. July 16, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  5. "12 regional 'TV Patrol' programs to air final newscasts on August 28". ABS-CBN News. August 26, 2020.
  6. "Historic goodbyes from ABS-CBN Regional". The Manila Times. August 28, 2020.
  7. "TV Patrol's regional stations, ABS-CBN reporters bid goodbye after years in public service". Interaksyon. August 28, 2020.
  8. Live Video, MOR Philippines - Cagayan De Oro (August 28, 2020). "MOR REUNION LAST EPISODE AUG 28 2020". Facebook.
  9. "MOR's 'Salamat, For Life' online special at 6 o'clock tonight". The Manila Times. August 28, 2020.
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