MOR Entertainment is a new media radio service owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation.
MOR started in 2001 as the FM brand of ABS-CBN Regional and terrestrially operated 15 radio stations in the Philippines. As a broadcast radio network, MOR stations played contemporary MOR and OPM, as well as radio drama, talk content and news (via TV Patrol Regional; available on selected stations).
Since the forced shutdown of ABS-CBN brought about by the congressional denial of its franchise, MOR resurfaced as an online radio station since September 14, 2020. MOR currently broadcasts via Facebook, Kumu, Spotify, iWantTFC, ABS-CBN Radio Service, Alto, and Malaysian based radio app Syok.
History and background
Radio Romance (1989–1993) At 6:00am on July 16, 1989, ABS-CBN's Manila FM station, DWRR 101.9, changed format to an easy-listening station known as 101.9 Radio Romance. It played easy-listening love songs except for a Sunday OPM program. At first all of the DJs were female, including Amy Perez. Radio Romance became the first FM station to implement the technological innovation of playlists originating from compact discs.
On August 1, 1989, signaled the station's first nationwide reach when DZRR 103.1 in Baguio became the relay outlet of DWRR 101.9 in Manila, ensuring uninterrupted listening for travelers from Manila to as far north as Ilocos Sur. It was followed by DYLS 97.1 Cebu on January 20, 1992, and DXRR 101.1 Davao on January 25, 1992, which also served as relay outlets of DWRR. In the early 1990s, it began simulcasting via satellite across the country and became known as Radio Romance: Nationwide.
Star Radio (1993–1997) On July 14, 1993, DXEC 91.9 Cagayan de Oro commenced broadcast as The Great EC 91.9 STAR Radio, with its studios then-located at nearby Limketkai Center. This was the first ABS-CBN regional station to use the "Star Radio" banner, as well as the first to air in a mass-based format.
In 1995, ABS-CBN started launching its new stations across the country and branded them as ABS-CBN STAR Radio with its tagline The Heart of the City. Those newly launched stations were DWEL 95.5 MHz Laoag, DWEC 94.3 Dagupan (known as ABS-CBN STAR Radio Northern Luzon with DZRR as its relay outlet), DWRD 93.9 Legazpi, DWAC 93.5 Naga, DYMC 91.1 Iloilo, DYOO 101.5 Bacolod, DYTC 94.3 Tacloban, DXRR 101.1 Davao (from a relay satellite station under Radio Romance branding), DXBC 92.7 General Santos and DXFH 98.7 Zamboanga. It became the first branding of ABS-CBN's regional FM network until 1997.
ABS-CBN Radio/ProStar (1997–1999) On March 1, 1997, under the formation of Regional Network Group (RNG), all ABS-CBN's FM stations were rebranded to ABS-CBN Radio which served to help avoid brand confusion with the rival Star FM, owned by Bombo Radyo. The slogan "The Heart of the City" of "ABS-CBN STAR Radio" was still used. ProStar was a branding of selected ABS-CBN regional FM stations outside Manila.
ABS-CBN For Life! (1999–2001) On February 8, 1999, ABS-CBN dropped the word Radio and added the slogan For Life!.
My Only Radio/MOR Philippines (2001–2021) On July 14, 2001, ABS-CBN For Life! was changed to MOR that was first launched in Cagayan de Oro. The network's brand name was coined by Malvern Esparcia (Bernie Bitokbitok/Tita B), which, aside from its meaning as My Only Radio, is meant to be a shorter designation to the province of Misamis Oriental, where Cagayan de Oro is based. It saw another rebrand of ABS-CBN's provincial FM stations to the MOR name. Numerous format changes occurred among its stations with similar program titles applied across provincial areas on July 15, 2001. The MOR brand would not enter the Metro Manila market until 2013, when long-time independent DWRR-FM rebranded as the network's flagship station and effectively made MOR a truly national brand.
On January 17, 2011, ABS-CBN launched a new station in Palawan for MOR, on 99.9, this came after 30 years of broadcasting as DYPR. MOR Palawan also had its shared station at Sofronio Española, MOR 99.7 (now Radyo Bandera 99.7), that was launched in 2011 and ceased operations in 2017.
In a press conference held at the ABS-CBN Compound on June 1, 2018, coinciding the Manila station's ratings leadership and its announcement of this year's Pinoy Music Awards set on July 21, the Manila Radio and Regional divisions agreed to relaunch MOR as MOR Philippines. Under its relaunched brand, the network would connect Manila and its provincial stations with unified program brands and strong music choices; thus, the new tagline "One Vibe, One Sound." The MOR Philippines relaunch began on August 11.