Sonshine Media Network International, also known by its legal trading name Swara Sug Media Corporation, is the broadcasting arm of a Philippinetelevision evangelist, Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. Based in Davao City and Makati City, it is available via terrestrial broadcast in the Philippines, and on cable, satellite, and online streaming worldwide. The network now owns and operates two television channels, where the main flagship channel maintains 24-hour service through regular repetition of a dozen self-produced Kingdom Programs in English, Tagalog and sometimes dozens of foreign languages, along with news, public affairs and sports programs; while the network's sister channel SMNI News Channel primarily provides 24-hour rolling news coverage and public affairs programs, which broadcasts exclusively in Digital TV format in Metro Manila. It also maintains a network of radio stations under the "Sonshine Radio" brand of the Swara Sug Media Corporation. The main studios are located at JC Compound, Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway, Sasa, Davao City and ACQ Tower, Sta. Rita Street, Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City. It was licensed in late 2003 by the Philippine government to operate seven analog free-to-air television channels in key cities across the country. It also has two digital terrestrial channels in Metro Manila and Davao Central.
History
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ's Media Ministry, known today as SMNI, traced its roots on the radio, with the program "Pagsusi sa Kamatuoran" on radio stations DXDC and DXUM. The television ministry began in 1991, when they launched their first television program, "The Hour of Truth" aired nationally on IBC and ABS-CBN stations in Visayas and Mindanao, followed by "Powerline" in 1995. On July 2000, The Kingdom of Jesus Christ officially launched its 24-hour cable network, "The Q Channel", bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom from Davao City to key cities around the Philippines. On April 25, 2003, The Q Channel successfully metamorphosed as the "ACQ–Kingdom Broadcasting Network ", with an expanded reach across the Asia-Pacific region and the United States via satellite. It also the network was launched as the new slogan "Delivering the Good news24 hours a day, 7 days a week". At that time, ACQ-KBN also launched its new religious programs such as Give Us This Day, Sounds of Worship, Batang Kaharian , Way Ahead, Highest Praise and many more. In 2004, ACQ-KBN signed a historic agreement with GlobeCast World TV, which aims to expand its broadcast footprint around the world. In the same year also that KJC through ACQ-KBN launched its own radio station in Davao City as "DXAQ Kingdom Radio 1404 AM". On March 2005, ACQ-KBN through Swara Sug Media Corporation acquired NBC Angel Radyo AM stations from Nation Broadcasting Corporation and rebranded it as "Sonshine Radio". On November 2005, DWAQ-TV Channel 39 goes "on the air" as "ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-39 Metro Manila" on "test broadcast". but later on January 8, 2006, after the series of test broadcasts, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV 39 is launched at the first Global Thanksgiving and Worship presentation at the PhilSports Arena, the network venture from Cable TV broadcasting to Free-to-Air TV broadcasting. On 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 Metro Manila and ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV-43 in Davao. On August 2010, ACQ-KBN Sonshine TV was renamed again as simply "SMNI", the network now focuses in Religious, News and Public Affairs programs carried from the now-defunct ACQ-KBN, it also the network was launched as the new slogan "Alternative media, Alternative power, it Sustains Life" and "Informs, Delivers, Transforms" with a new station ID. On January 2011, SMNI was launched as the new slogan "Where Everything is Possible" with a new station ID. On May 24, 2016, SMNI launched its own News and Public affairs channel as SMNI News Channel and it is exclusively aired over Digital Terrestrial Television on UHF Channel 40 in Metro Manila and its internet Live streaming. On August 31, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11422 was approved by the House of Representatives Swara Sug Media Corporation license for another 25 years. The law grants SSMC a franchise to construct, install, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes, radio broadcasting stations and television stations throughout the Philippines.
