The Channel Six Project

The Channel Six Project was a project by Mega Broadcasting Corporation that started on January 21, 1969 in an attempt to establish public television networks in the Philippines, by establishing it on channel 6.

Out of the six channels that was launched by the network, Empire Six Television was the most successful and the longest-running television station. The project ended on November 16, 1987, when MBC renamed Empire Six Television into Empire Television, and declared the project a success despite numerous problems over the years.

Sunrise Television (1969-1972)
Main article: Sunrise Television

Sunrise Television was launched on January 21, 1969, as an experimental public television station. The station provides educational programming which includes documentaries, student-produced programming, news programs, and news magazines nationwide. It was funded by the government and its annual telethons.

However on September 23, 1972, when martial law was declared by President-turned dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the station was temporarily closed. When they relaunched on October 3, funding for the station became scarce, due to people thinking that the station was permanently closed, leading to their closure on October 5, 1972.

Station Six (1973-1976)
Main article: Station Six

Station Six was launched on February 22, 1973, replacing Sunrise Television, still as an experimental television station. Station Six provides educational programs, children's shows, music programs, documentaries, news magazines, and television dramas. Its funding comes from its annual telethons and local governments from different cities and provinces.

On May 1, 1973, The station was the first public television station to be officially launched. Viewers from different provinces in the country watched Channel 6, with approximately 570,000 viewers. They aired popular children's shows The Larry and Bobby Show and Rain and Sun. Due to declining audience retention mid-1976 and unanimous decision by the network's enployees to launch a new television channel in the same frequency, they decided to end their broadcast at the end of the year, which was simultaneously the first broadcast day of Six Television.