| SMNI Manila | |
| Callsign: | DWAQ-DTV |
| City: | Makati |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Branding: | SMNI DTV-39 Manila |
| Digital: | 39/43/44 (UHF) |
| Virtual: | 39.01/44.01 |
| Subchannels: | See list |
| Founded: | July 27, 1999 (as Net39) 2000 (as ETV 39) January 8, 2006, as ACQ-KBN/SMNI TV 39 Manila |
| Last Airdate: | December 21, 2023 (NTC suspension order) |
| Location: | Metro Manila |
| Affiliations: | 39.01: SMNI News Channel 39.02: SMNI 39.03: SMNI Radio 44.01: SMNI NEWS |
| Owner: | Swara Sug Media Corporation |
| Sister Stations: | DZAR Sonshine Radio 1026 SMNI 43 Davao |
| Callsign Meaning: | For Apollo Quiboloy |
| Former Affiliations: | Channel 39: Net39 (1999–2000) ETV-39 (2000–2001) Channel 43: Mareco Broadcasting Network (1994–2000) ABS-CBN TV Plus Exclusive Channels (2013–2020) |
| Former Callsigns: | Channel 39: DZEC-TV(1999–2000) DWBP-TV (2000–2001) DWAQ-TV (2005–2022) Channel 43: DWBM-TV (1994–2000) DWBM-DTV (2013–2020) |
| Licensing Authority: | NTC |
| Power: | Digital: 10 kW (channel 39) (channel 43) Digital: 5.5 kW (channel 44) |
| Erp: | 25 kW (channel 39) 15 kW (channel 43) |
| Coordinates: | 14.6892°N 121.0358°W |
DWAQ-DTV (channel 39/43/44) was a television station in Metro Manila, Philippines, serving as the flagship of the religious channel SMNI. Owned and operated by Swara Sug Media Corporation, the station maintained studios at the ACQ Tower, Sta. Rita Street, Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati and a hybrid digital transmitting facility at KJC Compound, Barangay Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City.[1]
On 27 July 1999, the station began its operations on a test broadcast phase as "Net 39" under the Eagle Broadcasting Corporation, the predecessor of Net 25.
In 2000, it was acquired by Masawa Broadcasting Corporation and became ETV 39. The network attempted to become the first free-to-air gambling channel on UHF with the nightly Bingo Pilipino draws. It also aired music videos and infomercials for the Sydney Olympics 2000. However, it signed off in 2001 as former President Joseph Estrada banned its draws in response to public clamor.
On 8 January 2006, after the series of test broadcasts (that started from November 2005 to the first few days of January 2006), DWAQ-TV ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV 39 was launched at the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the PhilSports Arena.
In July 2006, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV to form as Sonshine Media Network International was launched as News and Public Affairs block which became a tie-up of ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39.
In August 2010, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV (merger of ACQ-KBN and Sonshine Media Network International) was renamed as simply SMNI.
On 19 February 2023, SMNI DTT Channel 43 officially signed on during the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal. the network covered in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Channel 43 will be used as the main channel of SMNI on DTT, while retaining the use of Channel 39 as a secondary channel after transitioning from analog to digital signal.[2] The frequency was formerly used by AMCARA Broadcasting Network under blocktime agreement with ABS-CBN Corporation to air its digital channels on ABS-CBN TV Plus.[3] Its analog signal, on the other hand, had permanently pulled the plug sometime in 2022.
On 21 December 2023, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) suspended SMNI's operations for 30 days due to alleged violations of its broadcast franchise.[4] On 18 January 2024, the NTC issued a cease-and-desist order against SMNI for violating its 30-day suspension order as its two stations in Region VI were operational as of 27 December 2023.[5] [6]
See main article: List of Sonshine Media Network International original programming.
DWAQ-DTV's broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 39 (623.143 MHz) and is multiplexed into the following subchannels:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | Short name | Programming | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39.01 | 480i | SMNI News Channel | OFFLINE | ||
| 39.02 | SMNI | SMNI | |||
| 39.03 | SMNI Radio | DZAR | |||
UHF Channel 43 (647.143 MHz)
| Channel | Video | Aspect | Short name | Programming | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43.02 | 1080i | SMNI HD | OFFLINE | ||
| 43.03 | 480i | SMNI News Channel | SMNI News Channel | ||
| 43.04 | DZAR SONSHINE RADIO | ||||
| 43.05 | SMNI SD1 | SMNI | |||
| 43.06 | SMNI SD2 | SMNI News Channel | |||
| 43.07 | SMNI Reserved Channel | SMNI | |||
In addition, Sonshine Media Network International also operates its channel on UHF Channel 44 (653.143 MHz)
On 24 May 2016, SMNI began conducting a digital test broadcast with the ISDB-T standard via its UHF channel 40 (629.143 MHz) frequency.
NTC released implementing rules and regulations on the re-allocation of the UHF Channels 14–20 (470–512 Megahertz (MHz) band) for digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) service. All operating and duly authorized Mega Manila VHF (very high frequency) television networks are entitled to a channel assignment from Channels 14 to 20.[7]
On 26 January 2022, the National Telecommunications Commission assigned the network's television frequency on began to transmit its digital test broadcast on channel 43 as its permanent frequency assigned by NTC. which was formerly used by Mareco Broadcasting Network as a TV carry-over station of 105.1 Crossover from 1994 to 2000 and AMCARA Broadcasting Network for ABS-CBN's DTT broadcast from 2013 to 2020. On 1 January 2023, SMNI began to transmit its digital test broadcast on UHF Channel 43 (647.143 MHz) as its permanent frequency assigned by NTC.