In 1995, GMA Network, the Philippines' Largest Network, launched its UHF TV station in Benguet under the branding Citynet Television 24 (or just Citynet 24). As started its operations, the station was programmed like an independent stationGMA intended Citynet 27 to be its main outlet for imported programming (particularly from the United States), freeing up slots in GMA Network's schedule for more domestic productions. By 1999, the costs of operating the station in this format were becoming too high for GMA. The station was turned into a music channel under the interim branding EMC, the Entertainment Music Channelwhich was also the country's first locally operated music channel. A few months later by December 19, 1999, GMA reached a deal with Asian broadcaster STAR TV to allow this channel to be a carrier of Channel V Philippines and it had already aired selected Channel V programming from its international version. This arrangement did not last longa stake in GMA was recently purchased by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, who already owned MTV Philippines through the Nation Broadcasting Corporation and its parent company MediaQuest Holdings. This conflict of interest, along with the increasing competition from the MTV affiliated network, led to the channel signing-off on July 25, 2001.
