Mareco Broadcasting Network
Mareco Broadcasting Network is a Philippine radio-network company associated with the Villar family's recording and broadcasting businesses.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Mareco Broadcasting Network, Inc. is a Philippine radio-network company whose name derives from Mabuhay Records Corporation, the recording company historically associated with the Villar family. The company has owned and operated radio stations, held broadcast franchises, and provided management and marketing consultancy to other radio businesses in the Philippines. Its headquarters is identified at #6 Tirad Pass Street, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City. The network developed from a family business that entered the Philippine recording industry in 1950. The Villar interests later expanded into radio, opening DZBM 740 in 1963 and DZLM 1430 during the following period. The company also acquired an FM station in 1971. Broadcasting arrangements changed after the declaration of martial law in 1972, when a decree required broadcast companies to maintain an AM and an FM station in each area. DZBM remained an AM service, while DZLM was transferred to FM and eventually became DWLM 105.1. By the late 1970s, the family had moved away from the recording business and concentrated more heavily on broadcasting. Mareco's early stations were strongly music-oriented. They generally played foreign recordings while carrying at least one locally produced or requested record each day. DZBM initially used a magazine-style AM format, but later adopted a more personality- and music-driven announcing style. The change made it an early Philippine AM station to reformat in this manner and helped it become a highly rated pop station for several years. Presenters associated with the station included Angelo Castro and Howard Medina. The network's relationship with Villar Records also linked its radio programming to a major local record business that licensed or distributed international labels including RCA, Columbia and Motown. DZBM's frequency was moved to 774 kHz by 1978. The organization went through several management and programming changes in the early 1990s. Its successor AM and FM services, DWOO-AM and DWBM-FM, joined Citylite 88.3 in Metro Manila and DYBW-FM in Cebu as CNN radio affiliates, relaying international news. In May 1993, DWOO-AM was relaunched as a news-radio service. In 1994, Luis Villar sold shares to his children. His son Louie received the FM operation and introduced the Crossover format, whose name referred to a mixture of jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and pop music. Crossover subsequently expanded beyond Manila to stations in Bacolod, Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio. The AM operation followed a different path. It became associated with DWAT and later with businessman Lucio Tan, while the underlying franchise remained with Mareco Broadcasting Network. A dispute between the Villar family and Tan contributed to delays surrounding the planned relaunch of the service as DWWW 774 in October 1996. The station is now operated by Interactive Broadcast Media, according to the referenced account. Mareco's franchise was renewed for 25 years through Republic Act No. 11367, signed on August 8, 2019. Later that year, Horizon of the Sun Communications took over station operations, and the Q Radio brand launched on January 13, 2020. Provincial stations began carrying Q Radio on November 16, 2020. Q Radio ended terrestrial operations permanently on July 1, 2023, amid financial problems. Shortly beforehand, Mareco agreed with Brigada Mass Media Corporation to lease most of the stations, excluding the Bacolod station, whose operations were taken over by the RYU Group of Companies. Crossover moved from terrestrial broadcasting to an internet-only service on December 30, 2019. The online version retained its smooth-jazz and adult-contemporary orientation and continued carrying international news bulletins from the BBC World Service and Voice of America. The online station was reported inactive in 2025. Mareco therefore represents both a historical Philippine broadcasting network and a franchise-holding company whose station portfolio has repeatedly changed through relaunches, affiliations, leases and operational transfers.
History
Mareco Broadcasting Network is part of a Philippine business history that connects recorded music, radio programming and broadcast franchising. The name Mareco is derived from Mabuhay Records Corporation, a recording company established by the Villar family in 1950. The family also operated or was associated with Villar Records and Filipinas Record Corporation. During the late 1960s, these businesses were among the important local participants in a recording market heavily influenced by foreign labels. The broadcasting expansion began with the opening of DZBM 740 in 1963 and DZLM 1430. The group acquired an FM station in 1971. After martial law was declared nationwide in 1972, government policy required a broadcast company to operate both an AM and an FM station in each area. DZBM was retained as an AM service, while DZLM was moved to FM and later became DWLM 105.1. By the end of the 1970s, the Villar family had largely stopped its recording operations and concentrated on radio broadcasting. The early radio services relied primarily on foreign music, supplemented by a locally produced or listener-requested recording each day. DZBM began with a magazine-style presentation. Management later replaced this with a different announcing and programming approach, making it one of the first AM stations in the Philippines to adopt a more pop-oriented format. The change produced a period of strong ratings. DJs linked to this era included Angelo Castro and Howard Medina. The station's connection to Villar Records gave it access to a substantial local and international recording network, including material associated with RCA, Columbia and Motown. DZBM moved to 774 kHz by 1978. During the early 1990s, successor services DWBM-FM and DWOO-AM, together with Citylite 88.3 in Metro Manila and DYBW-FM 89.1 in Cebu, became CNN radio affiliates. These stations relayed international news reports while continuing their local radio programming. In 1991, the Manila FM service was relaunched as DWBM-FM. DWOO-AM was relaunched as a news station in May 1993. A major programming and ownership transition occurred in 1994, when Luis Villar sold shares to his children. The FM service went to Louie Villar, who introduced Crossover. The format combined smooth jazz and adult-contemporary elements with jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and pop selections. Crossover's network grew through additional outlets in Bacolod, Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio. The Cebu frequency was later changed from 93.1 FM to 90.7 FM. Crossover became one of the clearest expressions of Mareco's music-radio identity. The AM side developed separately. It became known as DWAT and later came under the involvement of businessman Lucio Tan, while Mareco continued to hold the relevant franchise. A legal dispute filed by the Villar family against Tan delayed the planned October 1996 launch of the station as DWWW 774 under new management. The station is now operated by Interactive Broadcast Media, illustrating the separation that could emerge between a franchise holder and a station's day-to-day operator. The company received a renewed 25-year franchise under Republic Act No. 11367, signed on August 8, 2019. On December 30 of that year, Horizon of the Sun Communications took over station operations. Q Radio launched on January 13, 2020, and the provincial services adopted the branding on November 16, 2020. Mareco also leased airtime on its FM stations to third parties, and Crossover migrated from terrestrial transmission to internet radio on December 30, 2019. The online service retained its music format and international news bulletins from the BBC World Service and Voice of America. Q Radio ended terrestrial broadcasting on July 1, 2023, with financial problems cited as the reason. Days earlier, Brigada Mass Media Corporation had agreed to lease Mareco stations, apart from Bacolod, where the RYU Group of Companies assumed operations. Crossover Radio Online was reported inactive in 2025. Mareco's history is consequently defined by repeated changes in format, ownership participation, affiliation, leasing and operational control rather than by a single uninterrupted radio brand.
- 2023
Q Radio ends terrestrial broadcasting
[1]Q Radio went permanently off-air on July 1, amid reported financial problems.
- 2020
Q Radio launches
[1]Q Radio launched in January, with provincial stations adopting the branding in November.
- 2019
Broadcast franchise renewed
[1]Republic Act No. 11367 renewed Mareco's broadcasting franchise for 25 years.
- 2019
Crossover moves online
[1]Crossover began its migration to an internet-only service on December 30.
- 2000
Baguio relay added
[1]A Baguio relay joined the Crossover network.
- 1999
Crossover expands to Davao
[1]A Davao City station joined the Crossover network in June.
- 1997
Crossover expands to Bacolod and Cebu
[1]The Crossover network added a Bacolod station in February and a Cebu City station in September.
- 1994
Crossover introduced
[1]Following a family share reorganization, Louie Villar introduced the Crossover format on the FM service.
- 1993
DWOO-AM relaunched as a news station
[1]Mareco Broadcasting Network relaunched DWOO-AM as a news-radio service in May.
- 1991
Manila FM service relaunched as DWBM-FM
[1]The Manila FM station underwent a relaunch as DWBM-FM during a period of broader management and format changes.
Products and positioning
A Philippine broadcast-network and franchise-holding company with roots in the local recording industry, historically spanning music radio, news radio, international-news affiliation and station consultancy.
FM radio network · 1994
Crossover
Crossover was Mareco's smooth-jazz and adult-contemporary radio brand. Its programming combined jazz, Latin music, rhythm and blues, pop and related adult-oriented formats. It began on terrestrial FM in Manila in 1994 and expanded to Bacolod, Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio. The brand also carried international news bulletins and was described as one of the country's early CNN radio affiliates.
Internet radio · 2019
Crossover Radio Online
Crossover Radio Online was the digital continuation of the Crossover brand after its terrestrial service migrated to internet radio on December 30, 2019. It retained the earlier music orientation and carried bulletins from the BBC World Service and Voice of America. The service was also available through a mobile application for iOS and Android and was reported inactive in 2025.
Radio network · 2020
Q Radio
Q Radio was a terrestrial radio brand launched after Horizon of the Sun Communications took over operations associated with Mareco. It began in January 2020 and was adopted by provincial stations in November of that year. The brand permanently left the air on July 1, 2023, with financial problems cited in the referenced account.
FM radio station · 1991
DWBM-FM
DWBM-FM was the Manila FM service relaunched in 1991 and later used as the principal terrestrial outlet for Crossover. Its history reflects Mareco's shift from a recording-linked business toward music-radio programming and network expansion.
AM radio station · 1993
DWOO-AM
DWOO-AM was a successor to Mareco's earlier AM operation and was relaunched as a news-radio station in May 1993. The AM service later became associated with DWAT and the planned DWWW 774 relaunch, amid a dispute involving the Villar family and Lucio Tan.
Brand decisions
2023
Stations leased to Brigada Mass MediaStrategyBackground
Mareco's station portfolio underwent another operational change after Q Radio ended terrestrial broadcasting.
Action taken
Mareco agreed to lease its stations to Brigada Mass Media Corporation, excluding the Bacolod station.
Aftermath
The Bacolod station was taken over by the RYU Group of Companies, while the other stations entered the Brigada leasing arrangement.
2020
Q Radio network launchedProduct launchBackground
Horizon of the Sun Communications took over station operations on December 30, 2019.
Action taken
Q Radio launched on January 13, 2020, with provincial stations adopting the brand later that year.
Aftermath
The brand operated across associated stations until it went permanently off-air in July 2023.
2019
Broadcasting franchise renewedOtherBackground
Mareco required continued legal authority to construct, maintain and operate broadcast stations in the Philippines.
Action taken
Republic Act No. 11367 renewed the company's franchise for another 25 years.
Aftermath
The renewed franchise provided the legal basis for continued broadcasting activity, while later operations involved third-party management and leasing arrangements.
2019
Crossover migrated from terrestrial radio to internet radioStrategyBackground
Mareco began leasing airtime on its FM stations to third-party companies.
Action taken
Crossover moved to a digital-only internet-radio model on December 30, 2019.
Aftermath
The online service retained its music format and international-news bulletins but was later reported inactive in 2025.
1994
FM operation reorganized and Crossover launchedStrategyBackground
Luis Villar sold shares to his children, and the FM operation went to Louie Villar during a period of management and programming changes.
Action taken
The FM service introduced Crossover, a format combining jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, pop and related adult-contemporary music.
Aftermath
The format expanded to additional stations in Bacolod, Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio.
Sources1 sources
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