First United Broadcasting Corporation

First United Broadcasting Corporation

Former type	Private
Industry	Broadcast television and radio network
Founded	1970s
Defunct	1996
Headquarters	Makati, Philippines
Key people	Philip J. Chien
Owner	First Global Conglomerates
Subsidiaries	G Sat

First United Broadcasting Corporation, which operates under the brand GNN or Global News Network, is a broadcast radio and television network in the Philippines. Its original station FUBC TV-9 in Zamboanga was an affiliate of BBC from 1974-1986, ABS-CBN in 1986-1994 and GMA Network from 1995 until April 1996. The broadcast company now operates on its latest congressional franchise, Republic Act No. 8079.

History

First United Broadcasting Corporation was originally founded by Ma. Clara "Caling" L. Lobregat and Basilio "Bong" Apolinario II. It brought to Zamboanga City its first FM station and its first Color Television in 1977. The television station, 9Alive, was characterized by 9 "lovely" ladies. This network has produced several media personalities such as Cathy Veloso Santillan (one of the original 9Alive Girls who became a broadcaster and Newswatch anchor of RPN-9 in the early 1990s), Zamboanga City District II Congressman Erico Basilio "Erbie" Fabian and ABS-CBN Correspondent for Western Mindanao and former anchor Pal Marquez all started out here.

Later years

The network is on a massive expansion drive. In 1995, its original TV station, channel 9 in Zamboanga city was sold to GMA. FUBC's FM station, DXLA-FM 95.5 MHz, and its AM station, DXRH-AM 1080 kHz became defunct. However, its present goal seems to reinvent itself in the UHF region nationwide.

First United Broadcasting Network has reinvented its image and now operates one of the Philippines' Direct-To-Home (DTH) Satellite Networks called G Sat and one of the Philippines' all news channel in cable and now in terrestrial networks called Global News Network (GNN). It now operates a few TV stations.

TV Stations

Owned and Operated

Branding	Callsign	Ch. #	Power kW	Station Type	Location
GNN 48 Naga	DW__-TV	TV-48	10 kW	Originating	Naga
GNN 43 Zamboanga	DX__-TV	TV-43	10 kW	Originating	Zamboanga
GNN 48 Baguio	DX__-TV	TV-48	10 kW	Originating	Baguio

Affiliated

Branding	Callsign	Ch. #	Power kW	Station Type	Location
Infomax 44 Pampanga	DWIM-TV	TV-44	10 kW	Originating	San Fernando

Affiliations

• ABS-CBN
• GMA Network
• Voice of America
• Global News Network

See also

• List of television and radio stations in Zamboanga City