Manila FM radio plays musical chairs

THE STATE of flux currently sweeping FM radio in Manila may be likened to the game of musical chairs.

First, NU 107 changed its name to Win Radio — overhauling its rock format due to dwindling financial returns and hiring veteran pop radio man Manny Luzon to ride on the music-with-jokes programming trend.

A few weeks ago, Dream FM 106.7 ditched its smooth jazz format and agreed to let Energy FM run the show. Energy, another music-comedy station, is said to have been bumped off its former airwave site on 91.5, since management of that frequency did not renew the lease.

Sources say 91.5 is owned by Atom Henares, former NU 107 boss.

Mari Lagdameo, who runs Dream FM, told the Inquirer that he and station owner Tonyboy Cojuangco studied their options after being told by ad execs that the jazz format is not rating. Lagdameo insisted that he didn’t believe in the ratings game — or how it’s being determined on local radio — but he had no choice but to change formats.

Energy’s contract with Dream is similar to Win Radio’s deal with NU. Energy has its own staff and now handles operations. “We just share in the revenues,” said Lagdameo.

But loyal listeners of Dream need not feel lost; another player has entered the scene — Radio High, now on test broadcast on 105.9, former home of RJ-UR (Underground Radio). The frequency is owned by Bobby Aguirre. Before migrating to its Facebook site, UR had been broadcasting on 105.9 on a lease.

Radio High, the frequency’s current tenant, is operated by Francis Lumen, who used to own City Lite 88.3 and ran the show at Joey 92.3 and U92 before the station owner, the TV5 group, adopted an all-news format recently.

Lumen was very successful with City Lite. Joey, and his new venture with Radio High — whose programming is described as “a hybrid of jazz, neo-swing, downtempo, new age, bossa and world music” — deserves a good listen.