The 89.1 FM radio frequency in Metro Manila has transitioned from the hip-hop and R&B genre to religious programming after Wave 89.1, the Philippine capital's longest-running dedicated hip-hop and R&B terrestrial radio station, signed off for the final time on Monday night (Apr. 15) after almost five decades in the format.
Local media reported that the frequency has since shifted to test broadcasts of the local station of Adventist World Radio (AWR), the terrestrial and shortwave radio service of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, with a launch set for Apr. 24.
‘WHAT A WILD RIDE IT HAS BEEN, MANILA.’
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) April 16, 2024
Radio station Wave 89.1 bids adieu to their faithful listeners, announcing their final broadcast on Monday, April 15 — ending their 49 years on air.
"We want to thank everyone for all the love and support over the years,” their statement… pic.twitter.com/BakO2IMKOb
"The end is here," according to Wave 89.1's social media announcement. "We want to thank everyone for all the love and support over the years. What a wild ride it has been, Manila."
DWAV—Wave's callsign—began broadcasting in the mid-1970s as an easy-listening station owned by the government broadcaster IBC. However, in the 1980s, the station became known for playing hip-hop, R&B, rap, and urban music.
Esquire Philippines first reported on the news, saying that the station underwent another overhaul when it fell into the hands of the Vera family's media corporation, Tiger 22, which also included several English-language radio stations in Metro Manila.
The state of Filipino FM radio has since changed.
In 2010, Manila's legendary rock station NU107 signed off for the last time and eventually became the easy-listening station Wish 107.5.
In the mid-2010s, the Manny Pangilinan-owned Associated Broadcasting Company formatted the 92.3 frequency as its news and talk station as a departure to broadcasting news and information in the AM frequency, as well as becoming the main competitor of Bombo Radyo's Star FM Manila station on 102.7.
At the same time, GMA's 97.1 station transitioned from Campus Radio to a more popularly-oriented music and talk format.
Since the Duterte administration, government broadcaster PBS formatted their 87.5 and 104.3 frequencies as pop and retro stations, respectively.
In 2020, ABS-CBN's FM radio station 101.9 was shut down alongside its news-oriented AM station and channels 2 and 23 TV stations after the National Telecommunication Commission issued a cease and desist order. In June 2023, the network somehow revived its AM station in a similar format.
In 2021, 103.5 K-Lite - another Tiger 22 station - announced it was parting ways with its staff and DJs.
Most recently, in June 2023, Q Radio on 105.1 signed off and was replaced by Brigada News FM, making it the third dedicated news and talk station in Metro Manila.
On its website, AWR 89.1 described itself as "a Christian radio station that aims to inspire, uplift, and educate listeners through its diverse range of content."
"We recognize the importance of holistic well-being, including physical, mental, and spiritual health," it added. "The station features programs on healthy living, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and other topics related to overall wellness."
The Philippines is a Catholic-majority nation, while Seventh-Day Adventism came to the archipelago during its American period.
