N1 (Philippines)

National (branded as N1), is an English-language Philippine commercial television network, owned and operated by Mega Broadcasting Corporation. It was launched on August 23, 1973, as RBC, short for Rayben Broadcasting Company, to distribute programs from its sister channel, MegaManila Television.

It was temporarily closed on January 11, 1976, and was relaunched six days later as National Television. Since the relaunch, they aired some of their original television programs alongside MegaManila Television's programs.

Currently, they are broadcasting in both analog and digital simultaneously.

1972-1976: Launch of RBC and criticism
On November 1, 1972, the relaunch of MegaManila Television, their audience rate was incredibly low and is not getting enough attention. The television station was struggling and with not enough audience, they might close for good.

On December 16, 1972, they planned to launch another television station to distribute their programs nationwide. They started advertising the channel in January of 1973, and started a pre-launch test broadcast of the station on March 21, 1973. Throughout its 6-month test broadcast, people watching the test broadcast can dial the number on the television screen to suggest songs to add on the station's playlist.

It was officially launched on August 23, 1973, as Rayben Broadcasting Company (a portmanteau of its station's founders' names, Raymond and Benjamin), with estimated 10,000 viewers on its first broadcast day, but was criticized by viewers from Mega Manila for being "too lazy" for original programming and only showing the programs from its sister station. As a result, MegaManila Television has gotten more attention than the station itself. Nevertheless, it was successful to both stations, as MegaManila Television has gained back its audience, and RBC attracing viewers outside of Mega Manila.

However, On January 11, 1976, they temporarily closed the station due to declining audience retention.

1976-1987: Relaunch as National Television; new original programming
On January 17, 1976, they relaunched as National Television, and promised to air original programs alongside with its sister station's programs.

The first original program they aired was sitcom, The Youngsters, which was aired on July 11, 1976, and concluded on November 20, 1977 after 2 seasons and 40 episodes. Their first original animated television series was Rover, in collaboration with MegaManila Television. It was premiered on December 30, 1979, and concluded on February 23, 1986 after 7 seasons and 70 episodes. Alongside MegaManila Television, they grew more audience than their previous incarnation. They created more original programs, some of which are collaborations with MegaManila Television. The most notable ones were: talk show John Robinson's Saturday Night, which premiered on September 23, 1978, and concluded on November 22, 1997, live-action sitcom Storage Unit, which premiered on December 9, 1978, and concluded on February 9, 1980, with 2 seasons and 20 episodes, television drama Dear Mother, which premiered on August 27, 1980, and concluded on February 11, 1981, with only one season and 25 episodes, anthology sketch comedy series The People, that premiered on November 22, 1981 and concluded on September 23, 1984, with 149 episodes, and so on.