World Radio Day is celebrated every year on February 13. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), radio is a vital medium for entertainment and information due to its accessibility, sitting beside wherever you sleep, eat, and live.
Despite the Philippines being one of the highest internet consumers in the world, radio remains the most accessible form of media in the country — especially in far-flung provinces where broadband connection is sparse. As such, radio has played, and continues to play, an undeniably crucial role in the evolution of Filipino music.
In the 1970s, stations like DZRJ-FM were instrumental in shaping the local punk and new wave movements with disc jockeys like Dante “Howlin’ Dave” David introduced listeners to groundbreaking new sounds of the time. The ‘90s saw stations like NU 107 and LA-105 also pushing rock music to listeners — with the latter going as far as committing to banning all hip-hop music and even beefing with rap listeners.
By the 2010s, independent music became a staple with radio stations like Jam 88.3 and its mini-program “Fresh Filter,” hosted by Russ Davis. The show even released a vinyl compilation featuring standout artists like Ourselves the Elves, Autotelic, Cheats, and The Ransom Collective, among others. This format paved the way for stations like Wish 107.5 to not only discover fresh, new artists on the fringes of genres but also innovate the radio format with Wish Bus, combining the physicality of a mobile studio with the convenience of online radio streaming, taking the bus wherever listeners congregated.
In today’s age of digital streaming, radio continues to create lasting, personal connections while adapting to the evolving demands of technology. World Radio Day isn’t just a celebration of the medium’s inventors and artistic pioneers — it’s also a tribute to the audiences who have benefited immensely from radio’s presence.
