DXGN reopening pushed; needs community support (Part 1 of 2)

“Radio is the only saturation medium in the Philippines, and the only saturation medium in the whole of Asia.”  This was the statement of the Jesuit priest and advocate of communications, Fr. James B. Reuter, SJ, that led to the opening of DXGN 89.9, The Good News Radio of the Archdiocese of Davao.

According to Fr. Reuter, the power of radio is astounding in a way that it respects no territorial limits, “There is no Filipino who cannot get to a transistor radio. And for the people in the mountains and rural areas, radio is their only window on the world”.

DXGN started to run its transmitter way backin 1988. It was the only Catholic, non-commercial station that acts upon the support of a funding agency and then pledges and advertisements.  DXGN was also registered to the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP) and later a legitimate member of the Catholic Media Network (CMN). It aims to evangelize and to give assistance to those Catholics who live in far-flung areas.

“The whole-day format was aimed to mirror Christian life with songs, prayers, and news and current affairs operating 18 hours, having El Shaddai as one among its block time programmers”, DC Herald’s Research and Database Head, Cheryl Vilog said.

DXGN was forced to close in early 90’s. According to Vilog, the sudden shut down was caused by the absence of management systems in manpower pooling, marketing, long-term planning and evaluation and funding.

And so, for a while, the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation (NDBC) decided to rent the station.  But in 1997, DXGN got its way back on-air when Abp. Emeritus Fernando Capalla was installed as the Archbishop of Davao.  “The station again served as the Church’ mouthpiece for evangelization,” Vilog said. But, while doling out religious serviceson-air, parts of the transmitter slowly gave up.  It was May 2002 when the radio transmitter experienced its major breakdown.

By Troy Stephen Vergara