The Home of NU Rock, The Rhythm of the City, and CityLite live again (kinda) on PinoyTuner.com

While NU107 was gasping for its last breath some months back, I wrote a series of blog posts suggesting that the best way for a niche-audience Philippine radio station was to go online – this way you eliminate the costs associated with running a broadcasting facility (the transmitters, the studio, etc) and concentrate on producing content. Second, by going full-on digital, you recapture the listeners that music radio has lost to digital media – i.e. iPods and internet audio streams.

A lot of people thought that NU 107 was still a great brand and that the only reason why it didn’t do well financially was crappy sales and marketing. But translated to other media, the brand and concept still had great value. So why not bring NU online?
Mike Pedero, a broadcast legend and founding father of stations NU107, 99.5RT, XB 102, Citylite 88.3, took note of my posts on Facebook and my blog and wrote back that the idea was not too far fetched. In fact, he pointed out that he was actually hatching a plan to revive the formats of some of these radio stations of days gone by on the internet.

NU 2.0: How NU107 Might Possibly Live On

One of the most memorable moments of the last – as in final –  NU Rock Awards was that moment when all the current NU DJs (as well as some alumni) were assembled on stage for their final farewell, and Francis Reyes (the legendary In The Raw host, chief DJ emeritus, and whatever else title he holds) was attempting to say something meaningful to the crowd about the end of the station, the end of the idea of NU 107 as “the Home of New Rock”.

With the switch-over from Rock to mass-based programming imminent, you can imagine tuning in next week and hearing someone in the mold of Tita Swarding instead of Francis Brew – interviewing an up and coming starlet instead of an unwashed unsigned indie band.

Francis was clearly choking up, and was starting to mutter incomprehensibly into his microphone, when all of a sudden, he just blurted it out:

“NU107 Will Never FUCKING DIE!!!”

Cheers, applause. There it was, clear as day, he said it. It was shouted out, drenched in emotion and passion, like the final “Banzai!!” of a kamikazee pilot zeroing in on the flight deck of an enemy aircraft carrier. Everyone heard what they wanted to hear in their heart of hearts, though what it all really means is open to interpretation.

Tweeting the Final NU Rock Awards

To put a twist on the old adage, this is the way the world ends, not with a whimper, but with a bang – and with a flurry of 140-character commentary over the twitterverse. Such was the case with the last (as in final) NU Rock Awards held last October 29 at the NBC Tent over at “Dafort” in Taguig. For those living under a rock the past couple of weeks, NU107 will making its swan song over Philippine Radio on Sunday, November 7.

I’ve attended quite a few NU Rock Awards shows over the past decade – including one bizarre episode in 1998 where I was actually a judge at this show, which gave me rare insight the behind the scenes activities, as well as a bunch of free CDs to evaluate.

With every show I’ve attended, there has always been a sense of the historical importance of the evening. The musical performances have uncannily always been memorable and legendary – one of a kind performances that have left a lasting imprint.