The Pokémon Broadcasting Company, also known as PBC is a Taiyese-owned bilingual commercial television and radio network. The network operates two headquarters, one located in the PBC Plaza Tower in Tokyo City, Kanto that overseas Taiyoh (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh) while it's overseas headquarters is located in the PBC Tower in Castelia City, Unova Region. The network is known for broadcasting Pocket Monsters, their most iconic and longest running video game based anime show, which also launched the company and PBC's TV operations on April 1st, 1997 at 6:30 JST. The network was sometimes referred as the "Pokéball Network" due to their previous Pokéball logo that was used from its launch from 1997 to 2019. PBC is the largest broadcasting network in Taiyoh.
On February 27th, 2019 Coinciding with the unveiling of Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, PBC introduced a completely new logo after almost 21 years with their famed Poke Ball logo. The new logo is officially referred as the "Pikamark".
Timeline[]
- 1932 - Formed as a radio service network called "Enterprise Radio Co." in Castelia City, Unova
- 1936 - EBC was establish as "Enterprise Broadcasting Co." starting with WX01CT (Now known as WGFK-DT 5)
- 1939 - Established an experimental radio station in the Kanto Region (PXKT-AM 530)
- 1952 - Launched their very first TV station in Kanto under the call sign PKTO-TV 5, now known as PKMN-DTV 5
- 1953 - Launched TV station in Johto as PJXT 12 (Now known as PGLD-DTV 2)
- 1954 - Established TV station in Sinnoh as PSJC-TV 7 (Now known as PSVN-DTV 7)
- 1963 - EBC debuts the first TV anime called Astro Boy
- 1964 - Broadcasted their first sports program, covering the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
- 1965 - Buys independent Hoenn station HXFD 9 in Petelburg (Now known as HPBC)
- 1968 - EBC becomes a full fledged TV Network in the US and expanded stations in San Francisco, Miami, Panama City, Phoenix, and Chicago
- 1986 - Silph Co. buys EBC for a 50% share and renames it as "Entertainment Broadcasting Company."
- 1987 - Silph Co. and EBC established EBC-Silph Telecommunications
- 1992 - Sailor Moon debuts on EBC
- 1996 - Formed a joint venture with Game Freak to established "Pocket Broadcasting Co.", a precursor to PBC.
- 1997 - Final episode of Sailor Moon reached the highest viewership in EBC's history. EBC was rebranded as PBC along with the premiere of "Pocket Monsters" (or Pokemon), Involved with the great Pokemon Seizure Crisis of 1997.[1]
- 1998 - Due to the Seizure Crisis, Silph Co. decided to do a complete relaunch and renamed it as "Pokémon Broadcasting Company", EBC USA becomes PBC America.
- 2004 - HD broadcasting launched.
- 2007 - Begins broadcast in HD in the US
- 2009 - The Pokémon TV series began broadcasting in HD
- 2011 - PBC launches TV stations in Europe, Asia and Australia under the name "PBC International".
- 2013 - PBC launches a 3D channel called "PBC in 3D". Ceased operations on January 1st, 2015.
- 2014 - PBC remakes the classic Sailor Moon program in HD under the name "Sailor Moon Crystal".
Slogans[]
As EBC[]
- See the Better Things In Life (1968-1970)
- Amazing! (1970-197?)
- Look Up and See the Stars! (1977-1980)
- We're the Best! (1984-1986)
- The Center of Entertainment (1986-1989)
- Join Us! (199?-199?)
- The Channel of the Stars (199?-1997)
As PBC[]
- Gotta Watch It Now! (1998-2003/2013-2016)
- Did You Catch That? It's on PBC! (2003-2010)
- The Tradition Continues (2010-2013)
- Gotta Watch 'Em All! (2016-2019)
- Pika Pika! (2019-2023)
- Together (2023-Present)
PBC stations[]
Pokemon World[]
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
PKMN-DT | 5 | Tokyo City (Saffron City and Celedon City) | PBC Kanto 5 | Flagship station |
PKTE-DT | 5 | Viridian City | PBC Kanto 5 | Satellite station |
PKTN-DT | 5 | Cerulean City | PBC Kanto 5 | Satellite station |
PKTO | 5 | Lavender Town | PBC Kanto 5 | Based on the old call sign of PKMN-DT prior to April 1st, 1997 |
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
PSVR-DT | 4 | Cherrygrove City | PBC 4 East Johto | |
PGLD-DT | 24 | Goldenrod City | PBC 24 Johto | |
PJEK-DT | 7 | Ecruteak City | 7 PBC | |
PJOV-DT | 6 | Olivine City | NewsCenter 6 |
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
PVII-DT | 7 | One Island | PBC Sevii Islands | Rebroadcasts news from PBC Kanto 5 |
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
POGE-DT | 10 | Mandarin Island North | PBC Orange Isles | Main broadcasting station of PBC Orange Isles |
POGM-DT | 3 | Mandarin Island South | PBC Orange Isles | |
POGP-DT | 12 | Pummelo Island | PBC Orange Isles | |
POGK-DT | 2 | Kumquat Island | PBC Orange Isles | |
POGA-DT | 5 | Ascrobia Island | PBC Orange Isles |
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
PHON-DT | 9 | Petalburg City | PBC 9 | |
PHRS-DT | 9 | Lilycove City | PBC 9 | Satellite station |
PHEG-DT | 3 | Ever Grande City | PBC 9 | Satellite station |
Call sign | Channel number | Location | Branding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
PSVN-DT | 7 | Jubilife City | Sinnoh 7 | |
PSNH-DT | 7 | Hearthome City | Sinnoh 7 | Satellite station |
PSLA-DT | 7 | Snowpoint City | Sinnoh 7 | Satellite station |
PSLV-DT | 7 | Sunyshore City | Sinnoh 7 | Satellite station |
PSTM-DT | 14 | Battle Zone | Sinnoh 7 | Satellite station |
Other
- PALM-DT 4 "Palm 4" in Pueltown, Almia
- PFCT-DT 4 "PFCT-TV4" In Fall City, Fiore
- POBL-DT 12 "PBC 12" in the Oblivia Islands
- WGFK-DT 5 "PBC Unova" in Castelia City, Unova
- PBC Kalos in Lumiose City, Kalos
- KALH 7 "PBC Alola" in Hau'oli City, Alola
- KOIV 4 in Phenac City, Orre
- Channel 7 (Ferrum Region)
- KTVF 2 in Fula City
- SiX in the Galar Region
- PSIO-DT 2 in the Pasio Region
Logos[]
All the PBC logos were designed by Silph Design Solutions