(Hopefully, this is going to be my third and last in a series of my escapades around the EDSA area, been to different places like Greenhills, Ortigas, and Reliance-Boni Avenue)
I was able to get all of my course cards yesterday afternoon and since I don’t have much to do for the rest of the day, I took the opportunity to visit a radio station. Good timing since there is this radio station returning in the airwaves, and that is 99.5 RT.
A brief background on DWRT-FM: It was one of Metro Manila’s most popular CHR/Top 40 stations around. During the mid-90’s, the station was sold to Real Radio Network, Inc., which over time, evolved it into a CHR station similar to its sister station, Magic 89.9. Last year, RT changed its name to 99.5 HiT FM. Last March, Hit reformatted again and became Campus 99.5 (based on the old format of Campus Radio 97.1). However, management pulled the plug on Campus and the station went into a two-week hiatus. It was only yesterday that answered the questions of many, 99.5 RT is now back on-air!
I want to witness the station launch itself thus the reason for going there. I took an MRT ride to Boni Avenue Station. Once there, I went looking for the station’s home, Paragon Plaza, which also houses Magic 89.9. I was able to get in easily (the guards are really friendly as compared to the guys over at Jollibee Plaza).
“906-B…” And I finally found it!
There is a guard over there, whose name is “Kuya Francis”, he was hesitant to let me in at first so he told me to wait until I’d be allowed to come inside. For the time being, he sent me to sit in a bench on a neighboring room, which houses Magic 89.9 (Oooh, next door neighbors!). If I remember it right, since it was around 4.30pm, CJ and Andi9 are in the booth.
After a while, I finally got in and I was like “WHOAH! Astig!”. I just couldn’t believe that I’m right inside a radio station! Well, I was inside Magic first but it was only for like, what, 3 minutes?
At one side is the radio booth where DJ’s do their DJing thing, on the other side is a sort of corporate office. I see old stickers of Hit and RT, no traces of Campus though. Inside the “office”, i found MigZ with a Z (formerly known as Zack Attack) and Joshua Z (The Big Z). Then I let myself inside the booth where I get to personally meet Robi. He has some guest with him, a group of DJ’s (I think) called Chemistry. Later, someone sent him a box of beers.
I was too shy to talk at first but eventually, when I moved myself to a better sitting place, I get to see the equipment he was using, very sophisticated (although Robi’s been out of radio for almost a year, he was still adjusting to his surroundings). Being a DJ is not as easy as it sounds, since he’s in charge of everything, from the incoming text messages (uploaded in a program called X DJ mobile), phone calls, and the like.
When Robi first saw me, he thought I was someone he knew (a fellow listener?) hehehe. Weird! Anyway, a listener-visitor also went inside the booth, a fellow Pexer actually, her name’s Rhyme. Later, another ka-Pexer came inside and its jaiin whom I frequented usually on Kelly’s site. I’ve also met Tin, Kelly’s former partner in HiT, as well as Lellie who’s on after Robi at 6pm. Another ka-listener came in, forgot the name though.
I stayed inside the booth until 7pm. So while there, also made a mini-tour around, saw some balloons, a Brewrats Guitar, an altar for the Brewrats, a large streamer bearing 99.5 RT’s name and stickers of RT/HiT everywhere! Plus, they have a whiteboard posted on the wall where people write what they’re going read, announce, and say on-air. They even have a new way of saying 99.5, it’s now “Nine-di-Nine point five…”, as well as a new textline and YM account.
I was so darn happy that I was there on the day of the historic launch of RT. Too bad I don’t have a camera with me though. Nevertheless, it was a very momentous experience indeed. I even made my first request on a new station that eventually got played (para at least makabawi ako nung launch noon ng Campus), thanks Lellie!
I’d probably gonna be back in RT sometime this week so I could take pictures na rin. If ever given the opportunity to do so again.
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