DWCP-DTV

DWCP-DTV
Metro Manila
CityMandaluyong
ChannelsDigital: 21 (UHF) (ISDB-T) (test broadcast)
Virtual: 21.02
BrandingSBN TV-21 Manila
Solar Flix TV-21 Manila
Programming
SubchannelsSee list
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerSouthern Broadcasting Network
(Solar Entertainment Corporation)
History
FoundedMay 30, 1992; 34 years ago (1992-05-30)
Former call signs
DWCP-TV (1992-2019)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
    21 (UHF, 1992–2019)
    Digital:
    22 (UHF, 2015-2019)
Independent (1992 - 2007)
ETC (2008 - 2011; 2013 - 2022)
TalkTV (2011 - 2012)
Solar News Channel (2012 - 2013)
Technical information
Licensing authority
NTC
PowerDigital: 3 kW
Transmitter coordinates14°36′21.5″N 121°10′13.9″E / 14.605972°N 121.170528°E / 14.605972; 121.170528
Links
Websiteetc.com.ph

DWCP-DTV (DTT channel 21) is a television station in Metro Manila, Philippines, serving as the flagship of the SolarFlix network. The station is owned by Southern Broadcasting Network through its licensee and subsidiary of Solar Entertainment Corporation. Its studios are located at the Third Floor Worldwide Corporate Center, Shaw Boulevard corner EDSA, Mandaluyong (shares facilities with Solar's former subsidiary Nine Media), while its hybrid digital transmitting facility is located at the Solar Entertainment Complex, along Nuestra Señora Dela Paz Subdivision, Barangay Sta. Cruz, Antipolo, Rizal.[1]

DWCP-TV became the first local UHF TV station in Metro Manila that began broadcast in May 1992 as World TV 21. It operates daily from 8:00am to 12:00mn on terrestrial television, with programming available 24 hours daily across cable and satellite providers.

History

The Southern Broadcasting Network (SBN) of Davao launched SBN Channel 21, marking it as the first local UHF TV station in Metro Manila since 1992. Initially, it was known as World TV 21 and operated by the Kampana Television Corporation. This corporation provided programming content sourced from ABC, CNN, and ESPN. The station's founding vision was to offer similar content to that of the FEN Channel 17 of the former Clark US Air Base, which had been forcibly shut down a year earlier following the Eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

A significant shift occurred on January 1, 2008, when Solar Entertainment began leasing airtime on SBN and chose to broadcast programming from its entertainment channel, ETC.[1] This initial partnership concluded on March 2, 2011, as Solar transferred ETC to RPN after the network's privatization. Consequently, SBN and Solar Entertainment renewed their collaboration to create the news network Talk TV. The channel's identity evolved again on October 30, 2012, when it was renamed the Solar News Channel (SNC).

A subsequent major programming move took place on December 1, 2013, when SNC's programming was moved to RPN to enhance wider nationwide coverage. As a result, ETC returned to SBN the day before. Not long after, due to Solar's revenue conflicts, RPN and Solar TV Network were sold to ALC Group of Companies in August 2014, and SNC rebranded as 9TV.

In 2015, SBN upgraded its transmission infrastructure. It ceased using its old analog transmitter tower located at the Strata 2000 building in Pasig. This move was particularly notable, as the old tower had remained in use even after Solar's purchase of SBN, a fact evident in the old sign-on and sign-off sequences. The network began utilizing Solar's newly constructed tower in Antipolo, resulting in clearer and better signal reception for both its analog and digital broadcasts.

Finally, on September 12, 2019, SBN concluded its analog signal transmission, transitioning fully in favor of digital TV broadcast.

Areas of Coverage

Primary areas

Secondary Areas

Digital channels

DWCP-DTV utilizes UHF Channel 21 (515.143 MHz) and broadcast through the following subchannels:

Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming Note
21.02480i4:3SolarFlixSolarFlixTest Broadcast
21.03Solar SportsSolar Sports
21.04DepEd TVSolar Learning (DepEd TV)
21.05Shop TVShop TV

Analog-to-digital transition

On September 12, 2019, SBN permanently shut down it's analog signal in preparation for it's transition to digital operations. SBN is the 5th television network in the Philippines to permanently end its analog TV broadcasts, and broadcast in digital only.

References