 ABS-CBN was picked as the broadcast arm of MTV Asia in the Philippines at the time, and Channel 23 started test broadcasts in September 1996 with rebroadcasts of the new MTV Asia from Singapore.A month later, it launched its own programming under the station name Studio 23 and adopted the slogan "Premium Television".It also became the first UHF TV station in Metro Manila to broadcast in full surround stereo, and the fourth television station in the country to broadcast in stereo (after GMA-7 in 1987, RPN 9 in 1994, and SBN 21 in 1992).