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NU 107
Radio station in Manila From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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DWNU, a radio station in Mega Manila, was broadcasting from 1987 to 2010 as NU 107 that played mainly rock music.[1] It was owned by Progressive Broadcasting Corporation. The station's last studio was located at the ground floor of AIC Gold Tower, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig.[2]
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NU 107 signed off for the last time shortly after midnight on November 8, 2010. The station was reformatted and renamed 107.5 Win Radio (ultimately becoming Wish 107.5).
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History
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Late 1980s: The Birth of “The Home of New Rock” and the Rise of Pinoy Rock Music
NU 107 launched on October 31, 1987, as one of two FM stations playing new wave and punk (alongside Power 105 BM FM). It adopted the format of WXB 102 and stood apart from Boss Radio DZRJ 100.3, which played classic rock. Founded by banker Atom Henares, the station aired new wave for six weeks on 107.5 MHz before branding itself “The Home of New Rock.” Its phone rang for three hours nonstop after its tagline aired. Following a government mandate to promote Original Pilipino Music, NU 107 introduced the listener-driven program “In the Raw” and later launched the NU Rock Awards featuring iconic Filipino rock musicians.[3] The station operated from the Solidbank Building (now PSBank Center) in Makati, with Mike Pedero and Cris Hermosisima joining Henares in leadership roles.
1990s: Driving Pinoy Rock’s Rise and Revolutionizing the Local Music Scene
In the 1990s, NU 107 championed American grunge and alternative rock, featuring bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Silverchair. It also spotlighted unsigned Filipino rock acts, helping launch the careers of The Youth, Yano, Razorback, Wolfgang, Eraserheads, AfterImage and Rivermaya. To nurture emerging talent, the station introduced “In the Raw,” showcasing amateur band demos and fueling the rise of Pinoy rock.[4][5]
Starting in 1994, NU 107 held the annual NU Rock Awards to recognize the Philippines' top rock artists. The event ran until 2010, becoming a cornerstone celebration of local rock talent.
NU 107 also aired the "Midnight Countdown," a weekly chart show every Sunday at midnight featuring the top 12 rock tracks. Notable long-running #1 hits included "Paris" by Chicosci and "Shimmer" by Fuel, each dominating the chart for a year.
In the ’90s, NU 107 featured standout shows like The Crossroads (blues and classic rock), Euro Rock, Against the Flow (Christian rock), Not Radio (foreign indie), and Zach and Joey in the Morning. By 1994, it led the AB market in Metro Manila with a 32% share, according to the Radio Research Council, Inc.. NU 107 expanded its reach with stations in Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao alongside its flagship in Manila.[6]
During this era, NU 107 pioneered several innovations in the Philippine music scene,[7] including the NU 107 Pocket Concerts- small-scale mall gigs that were unheard of before. Their success paved the way for similar events to become a staple of the live music experience.[7]
2000s: From Nu Metal and Emo Rock to Indie Pop and Mainstream Breakthroughs
NU 107 embraced nu metal, known locally as “kupaw,” featuring Filipino bands like Slapshock, Greyhoundz, Queso, and Chicosci, alongside global acts such as Deftones, Korn, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. The station later spotlighted rising Cebuano bands including Urbandub, Frank!, Sheila and the Insects, Junior Kilat, and Franco, expanding its reach beyond Metro Manila’s scene.
In 2001, NU 107’s TV counterpart, UNTV 37, launched on the UHF band via Progressive Broadcasting Corporation. It aired music videos from NU 107’s playlist, along with televised versions of In the Raw, NU Rock Awards highlights, and events like Summer Shebang, Pocket Concerts and Party Monsters on the Loose. Now known as UNTV News and Rescue, it evolved into the Philippines’ first public service TV channel under Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International, affiliated with the Members Church of God International.
The station popularized emo rock for a time, featuring foreign bands like The Used and My Chemical Romance, alongside local acts like Typecast and Blue Boy Bites Back. By the late 2000s, it shifted toward indie pop, highlighting Filipino bands such as Up Dharma Down, Taken by Cars, Pedicab and Narda.
Also in this decade, bands first featured on “In The Raw” like Sugarfree, Twisted Halo, Itchyworms and Silent Sanctuary rose to mainstream fame.
In 2005, the "Midnight Countdown" was rebranded as "Stairway to Seven," NU 107's daily countdown of the top seven rock hits.
NU 107 also introduced an array of shows, like "Dredd at the Control", "Time Bomb", "Metal Madness", "Let's Fun", "University Rock", "Rock Ed Radio", "Pirate Satellite" and "The Room".
In 2007, the station marked its 20th anniversary with the NU Rock Awards. Network operations head Hermosisima told the Philippine Daily Inquirer they would maintain the current format and “exert every possible means to keep it alive, especially in relation to the local rock scene.”[8]
The Final Sign-Off: NU 107’s Last Days, Legacy, and Rebirth as Wish 107.5
Former DJ Joyce Ann Burton Titular (Jaedee) revealed on her blog that NU 107 would close in 2011 due to financial issues and poor ratings, struggling against stations like 90.7 Love Radio, IFM 93.9, Barangay LS 97.1 and Tambayan 101.9. This was confirmed at the 2010 NU Rock Awards. The Manila Bulletin reported on October 27, 2010, that NU 107 would sign off on November 7, 2010, prompting sadness from musicians and the recording industry.[9]
At the 2010 NU Rock Awards on October 29, Hermosisima announced it would be the final Rock Awards, with the station set for reformatting and new investment.[10]
A Facebook page was created to organize the final broadcast week, drawing over a thousand fans. Barangay San Antonio officials in Pasig were notified in advance.
On November 7, 2010, a candlelit crowd of musicians and fans gathered outside NU 107’s Ortigas studio, some writing messages on a wall. The final “In the Raw” featured live performances by Urbandub and Itchyworms. DJs tearfully thanked supporters during the last hour. Hermosisima signed off with, “This has been NU 107, the Philippiones' one and only Home of NU Rock. We are signing off,” as The Eraserheads “Ang Huling El Bimbo” played. The crowd joined in singing and chanting after the song ended.
NU 107 signed off at 12:05 a.m. on November 8, following its usual sign-off notice and the national anthem, with the final line sung loudly in unison by those inside and outside the studio.[11] This marked the end of the station’s 23-year run. Footage and commentary on the final broadcast can be found on YouTube and other websites.[12][13]
“Lumapit” by Archipelago was the last song that stayed at the number 1 spot on the NU 107 "Stairway to Seven" charts before the station signed off after 23 years.
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the new format mimicked 'masa' stations to appeal to lower-income listeners, attracting more advertisers than NU 107’s former upscale audience.
In late June 2014, Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International, owned by broadcaster Daniel Razon, took over the station, rebranding it as Wish 107.5 with an adult contemporary format. The regional stations were acquired by ZimZam Management and rebranded as Win Radio.
Legacy
As the “Home of New Rock,” NU 107 is remembered for popularizing both mainstream and underground rock subgenres. Many successful Filipino rock bands got their start on the station. It also launched the NU Rock Awards, which recognized emerging acts who later became household names.
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Dig Radio
Several former NU 107 presenters later set up Dig Radio, an online radio station adopting NU 107's rock format.[14][15]
NU Rock Awards
NU 107 hosted the annual NU Rock Awards from November 1994 until 2010. From being a simple gathering to honor the year's best rock artists, the event had grown into one of the most prestigious awards shows in the Philippines. The final Rock Awards was an invite-only event, as opposed to having tickets sold as during the previous iterations.[10]
Shows
NU 107's program schedule before it signed off on November 7, 2010, included a lineup of notable specialized shows:
- In the Raw (hosted by Francis Brew)
- University Rock
- Live & Raw with Bel and Joey (hosted by The Music Source's Bel Sayson and PULP Magazine's Joey Dizon)
- The Crossroads (hosted by Captain Eddie)
- Power Wheels Radio
- The Ballad of the Times
- Rock Ed Radio (hosted by Gang Badoy and Lourd de Veyra) - now on Jam 88.3
- The Reel Score (hosted by Roanna)
- The Magazine Show (hosted by Raya Mananquil and Mark Dimalanta)
- Pirate Satellite
- Against the Flow (hosted by Jordan Escusa) - now on Edge Radio
- The Room
- Upswing (Joystick Jay and Trish)
- Stairway to Seven
- Flipchart
- Remote Control Weekend
- Dread at the Control (hosted by Papadom Gamboa)
Notable shows that ended their run prior to the sign-off included:
- Halikinu Radio
- The Midnight Countdown
- Not Radio
- Zack and Joey in the Morning
- Club Retro (hosted by Mondo C. Castro originally hosted by Jelly Jean)
- Euro-Rock (hosted by Mondo C. Castro)
- Between Planets (hosted by Mondo C. Castro)
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PBC radio stations
The following provincial stations carried the Manila broadcast of NU 107.
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Compilation albums of NU 107.5
- Rockathon (PolyEast Records, 2009)
- Ugat: The Best Of Pinoy Folk Rock (Vicor Music Corp., 2008)
- Live & Raw: Underground 2 (Warner Music Philippines, 2007)
- Red Horse Muziklaban 2006 (Viva Records, 2006)
- Supersize Rock (Warner Music Philippines, 2004)
- NU Rock: The Album (PolyEast Records, 1988)
See also
References
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