Sonshine Media Network International
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Type | Religious Broadcasting |
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Industry | Broadcast Television and Radio network |
Predecessor | ACQ Broadcasting Network (1987-1992) ACQ Worldwide Broadcast Ministries Q-Channel (1992-2003) ETV-39 (1998-2001) ACQ Kingdom Broadcasting Network (2003-2010) |
Founded | 1989 |
Headquarters |
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Key people |
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Owner | Kingdom of Jesus Christ |
Website | www |
Type | Terrestrial television network |
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Country | Philippines |
Founded | 2000 |
Broadcast area | Worldwide |
Picture format | 4:3 480i (SDTV) |
Sister channels | SMNI News Channel |
Official website | www |
Language | English Filipino |
Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), also known by its legal operating name Swara Sug Media Corporation,[1] is the official broadcasting arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) led by the Filipino church leader and televangelist Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.[2] Based in Davao City and Makati (for its sister channel SMNI News Channel), the broadcasting network is available via terrestrial broadcast in the Philippines, and on cable, satellite, and online streaming worldwide.[3] The network now owns and operates two television channels, where the main flagship channel, based in Davao City, maintains an uninterrupted 24-hour service through regular repetition of a dozen self-produced Kingdom Programs in English, Tagalog, and dozens of foreign languages along with news, public affairs, and sports programs. On the other hand, the network's sister channel SMNI News Channel, based in Makati, primarily provides rolling news coverage and public affairs programs, which broadcasts exclusively in Digital TV format in Metro Manila. It also maintains a network of radio stations under the "Sonshine Radio" brand of the Swara Sug Media Corporation. The main studios are located at KJC Compound, Pan-Philippine Highway, Sasa, Buhangin, Davao City and at ACQ Tower, Sta. Rita St., Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati, Philippines.[4] The network is considered to be a far-right news channel in the Philippines.
The broadcasting network was licensed in late 2003 by the Philippine government to operate seven analog free-to-air television channels in key cities across the country. It also has two digital terrestrial channels in Metro Manila and Davao City.[5]
During its recent years, SMNI has been a subject of many criticisms and allegations from independent media watchdogs, particularly on misinformation, false accusation, and political right-wing bias while maintaining its editorial control.[6][7]
History[]
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ's Media Ministry, known today as SMNI, traced its roots on the radio, with the program "Pagsusi sa Kamatuoran" (Searching for Truth) on radio stations DXDC and DXUM. The television ministry began in 1991, when they launched their first television program, "The Hour of Truth" aired nationally on IBC and ABS-CBN stations in Visayas and Mindanao, followed by "Powerline" in 1995.
In July 2000, The Kingdom of Jesus Christ officially launched its 24-hour cable network, "The Q Channel" (then also known as "ACQ–TV, Q Channel"), bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom from Davao City to key cities around the Philippines, which was carried by Sky Cable.
On April 25, 2003, The Q Channel successfully metamorphosed as the "ACQ–Kingdom Broadcasting Network (ACQ-KBN)", with an expanded reach across the Asia-Pacific region and the United States via satellite, also carrying the new slogan "Delivering the Good news 24 hours a day, 7 days a week".[8] During also in the same year, ACQ-KBN launched its first TV station Sonshine TV-43 Davao, and introduced new religious programs such as Give Us This Day, Sounds of Worship, Batang Kaharian (lit. Kingdom Child), Way Ahead, Highest Praise, Quiet Moments and many more.
In 2004, ACQ-KBN signed a historic agreement with GlobeCast World TV, which aims to expand its broadcast footprint around the world. In the same year also that KJC through ACQ-KBN launched its own radio station in Davao City as "DXAQ Kingdom Radio 1404 AM".
In March 2005, KJC and ACQ-KBN acquired the congressional franchise, ownership and management of the Swara Sug Media Corporation (SSMC). at the same day, ACQ-KBN and SSMC acquired all the NBC Angel Radyo AM stations from Nation Broadcasting Corporation, which in turn, gave birth as the "Sonshine Radio" network.
In November 2005, DWAQ-TV Channel 39 goes "on the air" as "ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 Metro Manila" on "test broadcast". but later on January 8, 2006, after the series of test broadcasts, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV 39 as the second TV station is launched at the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the PhilSports Arena, the network venture from Cable TV broadcasting to Free-to-Air TV broadcasting.
On June 5, 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV launched "Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI)" as News and Public Affairs block which became a tie-up of ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 in Metro Manila and ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-43 in Davao, with the slogan "Service First, Right Here, Right Now, Worldwide".
On October 1, 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV is now on Nationwide with more than a 500 Cable TV Operators across the Philippines.
On January 4, 2009, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-37 in Santiago, Isabela as the third TV station after the TV stations are TV-39 Manila and TV-43 Davao, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-37 is launched after the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Buenavista Barangay Hall in Santiago, Isabela and followed by on May 10, 2009, The fourth TV Station as ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 Butuan is launched after the first global thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Luciana Convention Center in Butuan City.
In August 2010, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV (merger of ACQ-KBN and Sonshine Media Network International) was renamed again as simply "SMNI", the network now focuses in Religious, News and Public Affairs programs carried from the now-defunct ACQ-KBN, it also the network was launched with the new slogan "Alternative media, Alternative power, it Sustains Life" (first slogan) and "Informs, Delivers, Transforms" (second slogan) with a new station ID.
In January 2011, SMNI was launched with a new slogan "Where Everything is Possible" with a new station ID.
On May 24, 2016, SMNI launched its own News and Public affairs channel as SMNI News Channel and it is exclusively aired over Digital Terrestrial Television on UHF Channel 40 in Metro Manila and its internet Live streaming.
On August 31, 2019, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11422 which renewed Swara Sug Media Corporation license for another 25 years. The law grants SSMC a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes, radio broadcasting stations and television stations, including digital television system, with the corresponding facilities such as relay stations, throughout the Philippines.[9][10]
On January 26, 2022, the National Telecommunications Commission assigned the network's television frequency on channel 43 which was formerly used by AMCARA Broadcasting Network for ABS-CBN's DTT broadcast.
SMNI TV Programs[]
SMNI stations nationwide[]
SMNI TV stations in the Philippines[]
SMNI TV nationwide[]
Branding | Callsign | Ch. # | Power (kW) | Station type | Location (transmitter site) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMNI TV-43 Davao | DXAQ-TV | TV-43 | 50 kW | Originating | Shrine Hills, Matina, Davao City |
SMNI TV-39 Manila | DWAQ-TV | TV-39 | 60 kW (30 kW Operational) | Originating | Barangay Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City, National Capital Region |
TV-43 | Provisional authority | TV-43 | 5 kW | Pending test broadcast | National Capital Region |
SMNI TV-35 Laoag | DWSB-TV | TV-35 | 5 kW | Relay | Laoag |
SMNI TV-38 Vigan | DWSP-TV | TV-38 | 5 kW | Relay | Vigan |
SMNI TV-37 Isabela | DWSA-TV | TV-37 | 2 kW | Relay | Santiago, Isabela |
SMNI TV-39 Roxas | DYSW-TV | TV-39 | 1 kW | Relay | Brgy, 10 Purok Mantinlo, KM No. 1 Roxas Avenue Extension, Roxas City, Capiz |
SMNI TV-39 Butuan | DXSW-TV | TV-39 | 5 kW | Relay | Butuan |
SMNI TV on Digital Terrestrial Television[]
Terrestrial | Callsign | Ch. # | Frequency | Power | Area of Coverage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digital | DWAQ-TV | 40 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 629.143 MHz | 1 kW | Metro Manila |
44 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 653.143 MHz | ||||
Digital | DXAQ-TV | 19 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 503.143 MHz | 1 kW | Davao |
SMNI TV on Cable Television[]
Cable Provider | Ch. # | Coverage |
---|---|---|
Cablelink | 95 | Metro Manila |
Destiny Cable | 162 on Digital | |
Sky Cable | 162 on Digital | |
14 | Metro Baguio | |
10 | Metro Laoag | |
Muñoz Satellite Cable TV | 97 | Muñoz |
Choice Cable TV | 90 | |
Community Cable TV | 78 | Los Baños, Laguna |
Parasat Cable TV | 18 | Cagayan de Oro City |
SkyCable | 95 | Metro Naga |
14 | Metro Iloilo | |
14 | Metro Bacolod | |
37 | Metro Cebu | |
14 | Metro Dumaguete | |
37 | Zamboanga City | |
General Santos | ||
14 | Polomolok | |
37 | Cagayan de Oro City | |
Cotabato | ||
14 | Tagum | |
Davao Central | ||
14, 43 and 46 | ||
Davao Cableworld Network | 97 | |
Cignal | 186 | Nationwide |
*And 500 Cable TV Operators in the Philippines.
Sonshine Radio stations[]
Branding | Callsign | Frequency | Power (kW) | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sonshine Radio Manila | DZAR | 1026 kHz | 50 kW | Metro Manila |
Sonshine Radio Dagupan | DZRD | 981 kHz | 10 kW | Dagupan |
Sonshine Radio Tuguegarao | DZYT | 765 kHz | 5 kW | Tuguegarao |
Sonshine Radio Santiago | DWSI | 864 kHz | 5 kW | Santiago |
Sonshine Radio Cabanatuan | DWAY | 1332 kHz | 5 kW | Cabanatuan |
Sonshine Radio Cebu | DYAR | 765 kHz | 5 kW | Cebu |
Sonshine Radio Cagayan de Oro | DXCL | 1098 kHz | 10 kW | Cagayan de Oro |
Sonshine Radio Davao | DXRD | 711 kHz | 10 kW | Davao |
Criticism and alleged bias[]
Media institutions and sectoral rights groups accused SMNI of spreading misinformation and fake news while at the same time attacking critics of the Duterte administration and several media outlets in the form of "red-tagging".[11] Some of the news reporting claims on SMNI has been fact-checked by media watchdogs like Vera Files.
See also[]
- Kingdom Of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name
- Kingdom Radio
- KJC King Dome
- Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy
- Pinas The Filipino's Global Newspaper
- SMNI News Channel
- Sonshine Sports Management
- Sonshine Radio
- Newsmax
- Rebel News
- GB News
- One America News Network
References[]
- "ACQ KBN granted franchise to open 38 free TV stations". Sun.Star Davao. 2003-12-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
- "Globecast ACQ-KBN satellite channel listing". Archived from the original on 2005-10-30. Retrieved 11 November 2005.
- ^ "R.A. No. 8122: An Act Granting the Swara Sug Media Corp. Of the Philippines a Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and Maintain for Commercial Purposes Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations in the Philippines and for Other Purposes". 16 July 1995.
- ^ "About Sonshine Media Network International". smni.com. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "About Sonshine Media Network International". smni.com. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "About Sonshine Media Network International". smni.com. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "About Sonshine Media Network International". smni.com. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ De Leon, Dwight (11 October 2021). "Quiboloy's news group repeatedly red-baits Makabayan bloc during COC filing". Rappler. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Zablan, Clarist (7 February 2022). "Quiboloy's SMNI fuels disinformation, attacks to journalists and activists – report". News5. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
- ^ "ACQ-KBN History". kingdomofjesuschrist.org (Wayback Machine). Archived from the original on February 3, 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "Prangkisa ng Swara Sug Media Corporation pinalawig pa ng 25 taon". Pinas: The Filipino's Global Newspaper. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "Republic Act No. 11422".
- ^ "Quiboloy's SMNI fuels disinformation, online attacks on gov't critics". Rappler. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
External links[]
- Sonshine Media Network International
- Mass media companies of the Philippines
- Television networks in the Philippines
- Mass media companies established in 2000
- Television channels and stations established in 2003
- Radio stations in the Philippines
- Television in Davao City
- Companies based in Davao City
- Television in Metro Manila
- Companies based in Makati
- 1987 establishments in the Philippines
- Philippine television-related lists