FM DJ eyes stint on AM radio

MANILA, Philippines - After working for two decades as a disc jockey on FM band, Idol Tbowne feels that intellectual maturity is urging him to shift to AM radio and particularly become a hard-hitting commentator, seemingly a direct opposite to his job as a comic talker playing radio-friendly music.

The 102.7 Star FM DJ is one of radio industry’s veteran voices, having been heard on FM since 1991. This year he was awarded Best Radio DJ at the 9th Gawad Tanglaw held March in Cavite. Last November, he was dubbed Best FM announcer by the Rotary Club Cubao-East Chapter.

“Sa palagay ko, I have matured enough both in mind and heart. That is not saying mababaw sa FM pero the kind of how I want to express my views now, I think I would fit as AM commentator,” he told this writer during a chat.

The distinctively sounding, outspoken DJ began his career at DM 95.5 before he transferred to then Kool 106.7. He then moved to his third station Yes FM 101.1 where he worked for a decade.

Now one of the remarkable voices in pop station Star FM (owned by Bombo Radyo Philippines), Idol Tbowne partners with DJ Wowie Tailor daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. He then goes back to the booth from 5 to 6 p.m. for Twilight Zone, where he plays familiar tunes from rock, folk and country music.

While he believes that a DJ should have the nerve to like all kinds of sounds, his preference for standards is reflected on his Sunday radio program Never on Sunday (9 to 11 a.m.) that features the hits of the ’60s. The show has attracted quite a bunch of old-school sound listeners.

When asked about his key to longevity, he said, “It’s creativity, sensibility, respect, experience and love of work. Dapat para kang alak na kapag tumatagal, lalung sumasarap at tumataas ang kalidad. In short, a DJ in a class of his own!”

Though he has yet to penetrate TV, Idol Tbowne feels happy that he has stayed this long on FM given the fact that DJs come and go. Even some of his contemporaries are no longer on air.

Listening to his brand of radio talk is hearing someone who can both joke and hit. Recently, while playing a song called Bighani, he dedicated it to people who are “amazed” by him, “Para sa mga babaeng nabibighani sa akin, at pati na rin sa mga lalaki!”

In another sequence, he delivered a little lecture to Valerie Concepcion regarding her tweet of PNoy’s partying at the height of Typhoon Sendong disaster, which caused Malacañang some headache. He implied, “People should be responsible of what they’re tweeting. Maraming lumalabas sa mga social networking sites na hindi totoo or hindi na dapat pa i-publicize.”

Likewise, Idol Tbowne admits he listens a lot to AM commentators. The need to shout out his concern for public welfare and social stability is what encourages him to sit as certified commentator himself one day.