DYSS-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Metro Cebu, Philippines, serving as the Visayas flagship of the GMA network. It is owned and operated by the network's namesake corporate parent alongside GTV outlet DYLS-TV (channel 27). Both stations share studios at the GMA Skyview Complex, Nivel Hills, Apas, Cebu City, while DYSS-TV's hybrid analog and digital transmitting facility is located atop Mt. Busay, Brgy. Bonbon.
Timeline
November 20, 1963 - The origin of GMA Cebu can traced back to radio station in Cebu, DYSS (1560 kHz (now 999 kHz) AM band), which began airing its radio operations on July 4, 1957, and launched its first provincial AM station in Cebu City. DYSS was then owned by GMA Network's predecessor Loreto F. de Hemedes Inc. through DZBB in Manila, later Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. of Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart. Upon the launch, their old studios of radio operation in Fortunata Bldg., at the corner of Magallanes & Lapu-lapu Sts., with the location of 1-kilowatt BC Gates Transmitter is at Mambaling Seaside. After the success of its radio station, the company ventured into television and started operations as DYSS Channel 7 Cebu. With this venture, DYSS-TV Channel 7 became the third VHF television station established in Cebu City after the establishment of provincial stations of ABS Channel 3 (owned by ABS-CBN's predecessor Alto Broadcasting System) and ABC Channel 11 (owned by the Associated Broadcasting Corporation) which began its broadcasts on June 14, 1961, and September 11, 1963, respectively. The original studios and transmitters of TV operations were inaugurated since then at the 10/F Luym Bldg. (now Ludo and Luym Bldg.) along Plaridel cor. Juan Luna Sts. (now Osmeña Blvd.) and at that time, the station broadcast with a power output of 5,000 watts. March 1, 1969 - RBS was then known as "Greater 7 Cebu", using the Circle 7 logo that ABC was using for all of its owned-and-operated stations at the time. The station's programming is composed of canned programs from the United States and it later produced local programs. September 21, 1972 - Following the proclamation of Martial Law by then President Ferdinand Marcos, DYSS-TV was forced to shut down, though it only lasted for more than 3 months. In December of that year, DYSS-TV (along with the flagship station in Manila, DZBB-TV) was given the green light by the National Media Production Center (NMPC) to return on the air, however with limited three-month permits. 1974 - RBS were sold to a triumvirate composed of Felipe Gozon, Gilberto Duavit Sr., and Menardo Jimenez. Under the new management, DYSS-TV reopened with a new identity as GMA Radio-Television Arts and introduced the Where You Belong slogan to catch the attention of local viewers. Despite its network rebranding, Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. remained as its corporate name fourteen years later. The relaunch of GMA, aside from sporting a light blue square logo with the network name in white, also had a circle 7 logo in use. In its final years, the blue circle 7 logo used was similar to those used by the ABC in some United States cities (later used the rainbow colors of red, yellow, green and blue stripes, as GMA prepares for a network reformatting). Following that year, DYSS-TV was converted into an originating station with its English local news bulletin "GMA News Digest Cebu", a local newscast which served as affiliate to GMA News Roundup (later GMA News Digest). 1979 - GMA News Digest Cebu was relaunched and became News at Seven Cebu, following the launch of GMA's flagship newscast News at Seven which premiered on November 1, 1976, to face the increasing competition of its English local newscast GTV-3's News Today (now Newscenter 3 Cebu in 1980 and then went defunct), which debuted in 1978. January 20, 1980 - DYSS-TV launched its first live coverage of Sinulog Festival with its first location in Plaza Independencia, Cebu City. This was the same year that it premiered Goot da Wanderpol, the channel's first local drama production in the Cebuano language. With this premiere, the local drama series was syndicated by its sister station in Davao. 1981 - To serve local viewers further, DYSS-TV launched its first ever Cebuano language newscast, Mga Balita sa Kilum-Kilum, as well as a local business show to promote Cebuano entrepreneurs. 1990 - DYSS-TV transferred its studios and transmitter to new facilities located at GMA Skyview Complex in Nivel Hills, Apas for better broadcast equipments and an upgraded transmitter tower, with increased transmitting power output to 50 kW (259 kW ERP) to replace an old 5-kilowatt TPO located at the Luym Bldg. in Plaridel St. for 3 decades.