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American Forces Network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Broadcast service operated by the United States Armed Forces
"Armed Forces Radio" redirects here. For the Nigerian radio station, seeArmed Forces Radio (Nigeria).
This articlepossibly containsoriginal research. Pleaseimprove it byverifying the claims made and addinginline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.(June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

American Forces Network
Logo of the AFN
FormerlyArmed Forces Radio Service (1942–1954)
Armed Forces Radio & Television Service
(1954–2009)
Founded26 May 1942; 83 years ago (1942-05-26)
FounderUnited States Department of Defense
Headquarters
Number of locations
28 manned locations worldwide
Key people
  • Chris Vadnais (Director)
  • Lt Col Matt Chism,USAF (Commander, AFN Europe)
  • Lt Col Cody Chiles,USAF (Commander, AFN Pacific)
  • Kim Antos (Acting Director, AFN Broadcast Center)
ProductsRadio,Television
OwnerDefense Media Activity
ParentOffice of theAssistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
Websitewww.afn.mil
Footnotes / references
Bbl.

TheAmerican Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service theUnited States Armed Forces provides to soldiers stationed or assigned overseas, and is headquartered atFort Meade inMaryland. AFN comprises two subordinate overseas commands and one directorate in the continental United States. Overseas, AFN Europe is headquartered atSembach Kaserne inGermany and consists of 15 subordinate stations in the countries ofBahrain,Belgium,Cuba,Germany,Greece,Italy,Spain, andTurkey. AFN Pacific is headquartered atYokota Air Base inJapan and consists of nine stations inDiego Garcia, Japan, andSouth Korea. Stations under AFN Europe and AFN Pacific broadcast live local radio shows Monday through Friday, with the exception of U.S.federal holidays. Stateside, AFN's broadcast operations, which include global radio and television satellite feeds, emanate from the AFN Broadcast Center atMarch Air Reserve Base inRiverside, California.[1]

History

[edit]

What is today the Maryland-based headquarters of the American Forces Network began on 26 May 1942 when theWar Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) inLos Angeles, California withU.S. Army Colonel Tom Lewis in command.[2] The original American Forces Network began on 4 July 1943 when AFRS established what is today AFN Europe inLondon, England with U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gurney in command. A television service was first introduced in 1954 with a pilot station atLimestone Air Force Base,Maine. In 1954, the television mission of AFRS was officially recognized and AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Service) became AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio and Television Service).[2]

All the Armed Forces broadcasting affiliates worldwide merged under the AFN banner on 1 January 1998. On 21 November 2000, the American Forces Information Service directed a change of the AFRTS organizational title from Armed Forces Radio and Television Service to American Forces Radio and Television Service. A timeline of the history of AFN is available online.[3]

Origins

[edit]

The first station to be under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces wasKGEI in San Francisco, whose origins come from aGE exhibit, which in February 1939 started shortwave broadcasts aimed at the Philippines, which at the time were under American control. The station was used as a counterpoint toRadio Tokyo and ultimately became a model for the army network following the invasion of Pearl Harbor in late 1941.[4]: 6 

The first radio station began inDelta Junction, Alaska, on what was then known asFort Greely. It was called KODK and was operated by on base personnel. In the years just beforeWorld War II, there were several radio stations based in Americanmilitary bases, but none were officially recognized until 1942. The success of these individual radio stations helped pave the way for the AFN. As such, there was no single station that could be called the "first" to sign on as an AFN station. About two months before the formal establishment of AFN, however, a station called "PCAN" began regular broadcast information service in thePanama Canal Zone, primarily for troops on junglebivouac. The station, located atFort Clayton, was later to become part of AFRS, first simply as "Armed Forces Network" located atAlbrook Field.

World War II

[edit]
Bob Hope welcomesJane Russell toCommand Performance (1944).
Frank Sinatra interviews actressAlida Valli for one of the many programs produced by the Armed Forces Radio Service for broadcast to the troops overseas during World War II.
Humphrey Bogart andLauren Bacall being interviewed by the Armed Forces Radio Service

The original AFN - present day AFN Europe - began broadcasting fromLondon duringWorld War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from theBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The first transmission toU.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. 4 July 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, including aBBC News and sports broadcast. That day,T5 Syl Binkin became the firstU.S. military broadcaster heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regionaltransmitters to reachU.S. troops in theUnited Kingdom as they made preparations for theinvasion ofNazi-occupied Europe.

Fearing competition for civilian audiences, theBBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts withinBritain (transmissions were allowed only fromAmerican bases outsideLondon and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless, AFN programs were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them, and once AFN operations transferred to continentalEurope (shortly afterD-Day) AFN was able to broadcast with little restriction with programs available to civilian audiences across most ofEurope, (including Britain), after dark.

AsD-Day approached, the network joined with theBBC and theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for theAllied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment and a record library, were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front-line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations inLondon.

Although the network's administrative headquarters remained inLondon, its operational headquarters soon moved toParis.

AsAllied forces continued to pushGerman troops back into their homeland, AFN moved east as well. The liberation of most of Western Europe saw AFN stations serving the forces liberatingBiarritz,Cannes,Le Havre,Marseille,Nice,Paris andReims.

During the period between 1943 and 1949 the AFN also broadcast programs developed through a collaboration of theDepartment of State'sOffice of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs andCBS'sLa Cadena de las Americas network while supporting America'scultural diplomacy initiatives. Included among the programs wasViva America which showcased leading musical talents from both North and South America and was transmitted for the benefit of armed forces throughoutEurope and toSouth America over CBS's short wave network "La Cadena de Las Americas".[5][6][7][8][9]

Post-war contraction and expansion

[edit]
Lionel Barrymore broadcasting the Armed Forces Radio Service'sConcert Hall radio show (1947)

On 10 July 1945, the first AFN station in occupiedGermany started broadcasting:AFN Munich. Its first broadcast was however incorrect as it began with the sentence "Good morning! This is AFN Munich, the voice of the 7th Army!". GeneralGeorge S. Patton, commander of the 3rd Army, was furious with the opening as his army had taken control overMunich the previous night, and demanded that the responsible person becourt-martialed.[10][11]

Soon after AFN Munich signed on the air in the southern part of occupiedGermany, in northernGermany, AFN Bremen begin broadcasting a few weeks later with its first radio broadcast occurring on Saturday, 28 July 1945. (In 1949, the station moved from the city of Bremen north to the port city of Bremerhaven and becameAFN Bremerhaven.)

On 31 December 1945, AFNLondon signed off the air, and in 1948 AFN closed all its stations inFrance. This started the cycle of AFN stations where they would be built up during wartime, then torn down or moved after the war was over. Of the 300 stations in operation worldwide in 1945, only 60 remained in 1949.

Post-War Europe

[edit]

A large number of AFN stations continued broadcasting from American bases inEurope (particularlyGermany) afterWorld War II. (Eight remain on the air today. See article onGerman Wikipedia.)

During theBerlin Blockade of 1948–1949, planes headed forTempelhof in WestBerlin tuned their radios to AFN-Berlin because the station's transmission tower was in the glide path to the airfield and was not jammed by theSoviets.

During the 1950s and 1960s, AFN had large civilian audiences inEurope, as European radio stations rarely played American music. InCommunist countries, all radio stations were state-operated, and never played American music. Despite the language barrier, the people in those countries saw AFN as an alternative connection to the West. Also, unlike stations such asRadio Free Europe, which broadcast in Eastern European languages, AFN was notjammed by theSoviets.

Especially popular wasMusic in the Air, which aired on the fullEuropean network at 19:00 CET. The host wasAFN Frankfurt (civilian) manager John Vrotsos, who had an especially warm baritone voice. He began each program by saying (after an introductory piano phrase from the program's theme music) "Listen ... [pause for more piano] ... there's music in the air". The theme was "Music Everywhere" in an arrangement byVictor Young. Later in the 1950s,Leroy Anderson'sBelle of the ball was used. The program was popular throughout NorthernEurope, especially in the liberated countries such as theNetherlands,Belgium,France (the northern part),Luxembourg and, to a lesser extent,Denmark. Many Dutch households switched to the program, also because of their positive experiences with the American liberators.[12]Also featured were live performances of classical music and jazz bySamuel Hans Adler'sSeventh Army Symphony Orchestra in support of America'scultural diplomacy initiatives in the post war period.[13][14]

In France, about a dozen AFN stations operated, with AFN Orléans as the studio control station. The network broadcast music, shows, and news relayed from AFN Frankfurt, locally produced shows, and other features aimed at the American soldiers and their families stationed in France. In particular, a whole team of reporters and technicians was sent to coverthe 24-hour auto race at Le Mans, at a time when Ford was doing its best to beat the Ferraris, and finally succeeded. AFN France broadcast with 50 wattFM transmitters made by French manufacturer TRT, type OZ 305. The network employed a technical director, a program director, several military American broadcast professionals, and some French studio operators, record librarians, secretaries and maintenance technicians. The Frankfurt network programming was received, then re-fed from AFN Orléans studios to another studio-equipped affiliate, AFN Poitiers and its repeater transmitters via modulation lines rented from the French postal service. AFN Poitiers, based at Aboville Caserne, Poitiers, France, home of an Army logistical command and a major Communication Zone Signal Corps agency, served Army depots and installations in Southwestern France with locally originated programs and network feeds from AFN Orléans via Frankfurt, Germany. It was the only other studio station affiliate of AFN Orléans because of the large American military presence and its resident Department of Defense dorm school for children of American military and civilian families assigned to Poitiers, and the American installations located throughout Southwestern France. Children living in outlying American military installations and communities commuted to Poitiers once a week for daily classes and departed for home by bus and train. AFN France was dismantled in 1967, when U.S. forces left France due to the French government's decision of President (General)Charles de Gaulle to withdraw its forces fromNATO's military command. The French employees were dismissed but were granted a severance pay (inFrench francs and taxable) of one month per year of service, paid by the U.S. Army to the French government, in dollars (all the French employees were managed by a specially created service: le Bureau d'Aide aux Armées Alliées or AAA).[citation needed]

Korean War

[edit]

When war broke out inKorea, Army broadcasters set up inSeoul in the Banto Hotel (the old American Embassy Hotel). When the Chinese entered Seoul in December 1950, the crew moved to a mobile unit that was just completed and retreated toDaegu. Due to the large number of American troops in Korea, a number of stations were started. Mobile units followed combat units to provide news and entertainment on the radio. By the time the 1953 armistice was signed, these mobile units became buildings with transmitters, and a network, American Forces Korea Network, was born.

Canadian and American television personalityJim Perry began his broadcasting career fresh out of high school with the Armed Forces Korea Network, under his birthname of Jim Dooley, spending one year in Korea before attending theUniversity of Pennsylvania to further his education.

Pahlavi Iran

[edit]

An AFRTS radio station became operational inTehran,Iran in 1959.[15] This was followed by a television station in 1960,[16] known as AFTV.[17] It broadcast a radio service on 1555 kHz and a television service on Channel 7 in Tehran and the surrounding area from its studios in the city.[18]

Its listeners (and viewers) were American military personnel stationed in Iran as part ofARMISH (theUS Army mission) andMilitary Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) programs.[15] AFTV was also popular with Iranian viewers, particularly children.[19]

As the TV service only had a power of 1000 watts, it was only on air for a few hours each day, whereas the radio service operated for around 18 hours a day.[20] In deference to Iranian sensitivities, AFRTS avoided carrying programming that might be construed as offensive on political or religious grounds, instead carrying cowboy or detective movies.[21]

Following the nationalization of the privately ownedTelevision Iran network in 1969, AFTV was the only television service not in the Iranian government's hands.[22] However, in 1976, it was decided by the Iranian government that AFRTS should close down its radio and TV services, which it did on 25 October of that year, the day before theShah's 57th birthday.[23]

Radio 1555 closed with presenter Air Force Staff Sergeant Barry Cantor playingRoger Whittaker's "Durham Town (The Leavin')". This was followed by a closing announcement by Chief Master Sergeant and Station Manager Bob Woodruff, ending with theU.S. national anthem:

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm Chief Master Sergeant Bob Woodruff Station Manager of the American Forces Radio and Television Service inTehran. After 22 years of radio broadcasting and 17 years of telecasting in Tehran, AFRTS Radio 1555 and TV Channel 7 cease all operations in this country at this time. I bid you all goodbye and thank you for letting us serve you. And now the national anthem of the United States of America."[24][25][26]

The following day, AFRTS radio and television services in Iran were replaced by those operated by the state broadcasterNational Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT), which were similar in content, appealing to the 60 000U.S. Army and civilian personnel then stationed in Iran, as well as the wider population of foreign nationals resident in the country.[27]

South Vietnam

[edit]

As the U.S. military presence inSouth Vietnam increased, AFRTS opened radio and later television stations there.[28]

AFRTS stations in Vietnam were initially known by the name "AFRS" (Armed Forces Radio Saigon), but as the number of stations quickly expanded throughoutSouth Vietnam became known as "AFVN" (American Forces Vietnam Network)[28] and had several stations, includingQui Nhơn,Nha Trang,Pleiku,Da Nang andHuế, the latter being overrun by thePeople's Army of Vietnam during theBattle of Hue in January/February 1968 and replaced by a station inQuảng Trị. AFVN's headquarters station was located inSaigon.

In Vietnam, AFVN had a number of war-related casualties. After a fierce fire fight that killed two soldiers and a civilian contractor, the remaining AFVN station staff at Huế was captured and spent five years as prisoners of war. At the height of American involvement in the war, Armed Forces Vietnam Network served more than 500,000 fighting men and women at one time. AFVN developed a program along the lines of "GI Jive" from World War II. A number of localdisc jockeys helped make hourlong music programs for broadcast. Perhaps the best-known program became the morning "Dawn Buster" program, (the brainchild of Chief Petty Officer Bryant Arbuckle in 1962) thanks to the popularity of the sign-on slogan "Gooooood Morning, Vietnam" (which was initiated byAdrian Cronauer and later became the basis for the filmGood Morning, Vietnam starringRobin Williams). Among the notable people who were AFVN disc jockeys were Don L. "Scotty" Brink,Lee Hansen, Les Coleman andPat Sajak,Chris Noel, John Allgood, Joe Huser, and Dennis Woytek. Army Spec. 5 Robert Morecook announced the upcoming end of the Vietnam War on AFVN-TV news in February, 1973, which followed 30 days later. Army Spec 4 Tom Fowlston was first to announce the war end on radio news. Harry Simons hosted theGO Show at both AFVN Saigon and Danang in 1968 and 1969. Simons along with broadcaster Mike Bates created and produced a 10-hour radio documentary (AFVN: The GI's Companion) as a tribute to AFVN and to honor all Vietnam Veterans. It aired and streamed on Veterans Day 2015 on WEBY Radio in Pensacola, Florida. The documentary is archived at Rock Radio Scrapbook: AFVN: The GI's Companion.[29]

Beginning in 1971, AFVN began to close some stations in Vietnam. The last station to close was the key station in Saigon in 1973. Broadcasting continued under civilian leadership on FM only and using the name American Radio Service (ARS).[30] The civilian engineers were provided by Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE). ARS stayed on the air until theFall of Saigon in April 1975. It was to playBing Crosby's version ofIrving Berlin's "White Christmas" as a signal for Americans that thefinal evacuation of Saigon had begun. The Crosby version of the record could not be found soTennessee Ernie Ford's record from 1968 was played.

Thailand

[edit]

InThailand, the Department of Defense began the planning for the Armed Forces Thailand Network in 1964 with Project Lamplighter and Project Limelight. By late 1966, implementation of the network began by the U.S. Air Force with stations on the air atKorat,U-Tapao,Ubon,Udorn,Takhli andNahkon Phanom. In addition, there were more than 20 satellite stations that rebroadcast one or more of the primary stations, and that included one or more clandestine locations inLaos.

In April 1970, a battle-damagedRF-4C Phantom II #65-0863 returning to Udorn from a reconnaissance mission in northwest Laos, crashed into the AFTN station, killing 9 Air Force broadcasters. Pilot Leaphart and Navigator Bernholz ejected from their battle damaged plane when it went out of control on final approach. Both crewmen were injured but survived. The incident was the single worst catastrophe in the history of military broadcasting killing: TSGT Jack A Hawley, Wakeman, OH; SSGT James A. Howard, Denver, CO; A1C Andrew C. McCartney, Lakewood, OH; SSGT Alfred N. Potter, Forest Grove, OR; SGT John Charles Rose, Bloomfield, NJ; TSGT Frank D. Ryan Jr., Mercer Island, WA; SSGT Edward W. Strain, Myrtle Beach, SC; TSGT Roy Walker, Albuquerque, NM and A1C Thomas L. Waterman, Roanoke, VA.[31]

AFTN became the American Forces Thailand Network in the summer of 1969, and continued operations until the spring of 1976 when the remaining U.S. troops in Thailand were withdrawn at the request of the Thai government. More than 600 broadcasters from the Air Force, Navy and Army had served during the ten years that AFTN operated.

Taiwan

[edit]
See also:ICRT

Before the United States and thePeople's Republic of China established diplomatic relations in 1979, the AFN branch inTaiwan was Armed Forces Network Taiwan (AFNT), which had a main station inYangmingshan American Military Housing,Taipei. After theU.S. armed forces withdrew all its troops stationed in Taiwan (including theUnited States Taiwan Defense Command) asWashington, D.C., recognizesBeijing and broke ties with Taipei, the station was reorganized under the name ofInternational Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) by theAmerican Chamber of Commerce in Taipei and theROC government. Today, ICRT is the onlyEnglish-language radio service in Taiwan.

Caribbean

[edit]

Then still known as the American Forces (or Armed Forces) Radio and Television Service, military bases and facilities throughout Puerto Rico received original radio programming from Army studios at Ft. Brooke in San Juan, Air Force studios at Ramey Air Force Base, and radio and television originating from Navy studios at Roosevelt Roads, in addition to local playback of stateside entertainment radio and television shows. This broadcast service was known as AFCN, the American Forces Caribbean Network in the 1970s (later as the Armed Forces Caribbean Network) served military bases and facilities throughout Puerto Rico from transmitters in San Juan (Fort Brooke, Fort Buchanan), Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, and Ramey Air Force Base. Each of these bases also had their own television transmitters or cable systems that played back stateside TV programming delivered to each location in weekly "packages" of 16mm film, kinescope recordings, video tape, and satellite news programming feeds. AFCN Roosevelt Roads also produced live radio programming featuring Navy Journalist/Broadcaster disc jockeys in a Top 40 hits format, combined with programming from AFRTS Hollywood-sourced stateside shows such as American Top 40. Programming broadcast over AFCN broadcast radio and television transmitter antennas also reached some local civilian markets across Puerto Rico, such as San Juan.

Central America

[edit]

Radio, and later television, to U.S. troops stationed in thePanama Canal Zone was provided initially by Armed Forces Radio (AFN) atAlbrook Field and later as theCaribbean Forces Network atFort Clayton with translators on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone. In the early 1960s with reorganization of the command located in the Canal Zone, CFN became the Southern Command Network (SCN). SCN also broadcast to U.S. troops stationed inHonduras starting in 1987. SCN discontinued broadcasting on 1 July 1999[32] just before the 31 December[33] turnover of the Canal Zone to theRepublic of Panama when U.S. troops were removed from that country under theTorrijos-Carter Treaties.

AFNHonduras, which began in 1987 as SCN Honduras, now broadcasts fromSoto Cano Air Base on 106.3 FM, and serves more than 600 American service members stationed at the installation, as well as numerous civilian employees and contractors. The station's primary mission is radio, originating programming including two daily live shows following the "Eagle" format. Personnel also occasionally produce video news packages. As of 15 January 2013, AFN Honduras is one of 18 stations under the operational control of AFN Europe.

Shortwave radio

[edit]

With the advent ofsatellite broadcasting, AFRTS has shifted its emphasis away fromshortwave. Currently, the U.S. Navy provides the only shortwavesingle sidebandshortwave AFN radio broadcasts via relay sites around the world to provide service to ships, includingDiego Garcia,Guam,Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy,Puerto Rico,Hawaii and others.

Organization

[edit]

The American Forces Network (AFN) is the operational arm of the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS), an office of theDefense Media Activity (DMA). AFN falls under the operational control of the Office of theAssistant Secretary of Defense forPublic Affairs (OASD-PA). AFN employs military broadcasters as well as Defense Department civilians and contractors.

AFN management is located at DMA headquarters at Fort Meade. Day-to-day AFN broadcast operations are conducted at the AFN stations and AFN regional directorate headquarters overseas, as well as at the AFN Broadcast Center inRiverside, California, from where all AFN radio and television satellite feeds emanate.

Television services

[edit]

European operations

[edit]

Until the early 1970s, U.S. military television service was provided inWestern Europe byAir Force Television atRamstein Air Base, Germany. In the early 1970s, AFN assumed this responsibility for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).

AFN Bremerhaven was the first AFN television station in Europe to broadcast its programming in color. The U.S. European Edition ofStars and Stripes (S&S) reported in its Thursday, 21 August 1975, edition that the AFN-Europe Commander, Lt. Col. Floyd A. McBride, announced that AFN's first color TV broadcast would begin in Bremerhaven on Monday 25 August 1975. AsS&S reported, because Bremerhaven's TV operation was so small, only a "Class C" operation, and, at the time, served only one area with TV programming, it was easy to establish the color TV broadcast operation without extensive expense or expansion.[34]

That next year,S&S reported in its Wednesday, 23 June 1976, edition, that "the long-awaited switch to color by AFN-TV could come by the end of the year for viewers in most of West Germany. The only viewers enjoying color right now are those watching the pilot color TV station inBremerhaven, which went on the air in…1975".[34]

Finally, on 28 October 1976, AFN television moved from AFTV's old black-and-white studios at Ramstein to the network's new color television studios in Frankfurt. In the 1980s the network added affiliates with studio capabilities inWürzburg, Germany, andSoesterberg, the Netherlands, expanding the network to 12 affiliate stations serving American military, DOD-employed civilians and their families estimated to be well-above 350,000 stationed in West Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. This was accomplished by a system of 112 microwave transmitters operated and maintained by the Army's 5th Signal Command. Embassies and other entities of the American government without access to AFN TV signals received a 30-plus hour package mailed weekly of AFN and U.S. programming. In April 1984, AFN began broadcasting live news, information and entertainment programming received through an 11-meter satellite dish downlink at AFN network headquarters, in addition to primetime pre-recorded shows and movies received from the Armed Forces Radio-Television Service broadcast center in Hollywood. For outlying areas, broadcast feeds of live American sports events were frequently provided by European contractors.

AFN TV was available inWest Berlin until 1994.[35] However, it was only available in theAmerican Sector.[36]

In 1946, AFN Europe headquarters relocated from London toHoechst Castle on the western edge ofFrankfurt.

In 1966, AFN Europe headquarters relocated to theDornbusch quarter of Frankfurt, adjacent toHessischer Rundfunk.

In 2004, AFN Europe headquarters relocated toColeman Barracks inMannheim, Germany.

In 2014, AFN Europe headquarters relocated toSembach Kaserne inSembach, Germany.

Pacific operations

[edit]

Over-the-air TV for U.S. Forces in the Pacific were at one time provided by AFN-Korea, AFN-Japan and AFN-Kwajalein. All local operations merged under the AFN banner effective 1 January 1998.

South Korea

[edit]

AFN-Korea, formerly American Forces Korea Network (AFKN), was the largest of AFN's Pacific TV operations, although there are also AM and FM operations from military bases around Korea. AFKN began TV operations on 15 September 1957 and consisted of an originating studio atYongsan Garrison, Seoul, and six relay transmitters throughout the peninsula. AFKN's first live television newscast aired on 4 January 1959. Until December 2007, the channel was widely available to non-military audiences oncable television, but following complaints from U.S. companies trying to sell programs inSouth Korea, USFK requested that theKorean Broadcasting Commission direct the removal of Pacific Prime from the Korean cable lineups.[37] American Forces Network-Korea discontinued analog over-the-air TV broadcast 1 May 2012, due to request from the South Korean government because many local residents could receive current over-the-air U.S. network programming, resulting in decreased sales of U.S. programs to South Korean stations.[38]

Japan

[edit]

AFN Japan, formerly theFar East Network (FEN), had one full-powerVHF terrestrial TV outlet – located onOkinawa atop the Rycom Plaza Housing area in the central part of the island, AFN-Okinawa's (U.S. channel 8) TV signal servedMarines,Airmen,Sailors,Soldiers, and their families stationed on-island. TV viewers on military bases in the Tokyo and Kanto Plain area of Japan can view AFN via contractor-operated basecable TV services, or through AFN Direct-To-Home (DTH) dish services if they reside off-base.

AFN-Japan's radio services consist of AM and FM stereo operations atYokota Air Base (810 AM & cable FM), MCAS Iwakuni (1575 AM), FLTACTS Sasebo (1575 AM), Okinawa (648 AM & 89.1 FM) and Misawa Air Base (1575 AM).

AFN-Okinawa ceased over-the-air analog TV operations along with all other Japanese TV stations on July 24, 2011.

Latin America

[edit]

There used to be a television service in Panama (SCN) from 1956 to 1999. Broadcast on channel 8 in the Pacific zone and channel 10 in the Atlantic zone. In 1999, from the termination of local production (June 30) to the shutdown of the station and return of the control of the Panama Canal to the Panamanian state (December 31), the channel was relaying the main AFN service. After its closure, the Panamanian regulatory body aimed at bidding channel 8 and its relay station to local companies, but the bid was frozen in March 2000.[39][40][41]

In 2001, following failed attempts at creating a regional educational station,[42] the Panamanian government started setting a date for the fate of the former SCN frequencies, July 10.[43][44] Since no company successfully bid for those licenses, channels 7 and 9 in the capital zone were given for a bid, Tele 7 (now Oye TV) andTVMax, both starting in 2005.

Kwajalein Atoll

[edit]

AFN-Kwajalein at the Reagan Missile Test Range onKwajalein Atoll is the only civilian-run affiliate in AFN, broadcasting on U.S. channel 13 for military personnel and civilian contractor employees and their families. AFN-Kwajalein's signal is beamed by microwave to the nearby island ofRoi-Namur and rebroadcast on channel 8.

With the availability of AFN's DTH service, terrestrial over-the-air TV broadcasts at all AFN outlets are slated for deactivation in the near future.

Gulf War

[edit]

In January 1991, the network dispatched news teams and technicians toKuwait andSaudi Arabia for OperationsDesert Shield andDesert Storm. These broadcasters reported to families of soldiers deployed from Europe and staffed a number of U.S. radio stations making up the Armed Forces Desert Network. The first song on the air after the start of the ground offensive was "Rock the Casbah" byThe Clash.

The network first signed on under the name "Desert Shield Network" inAl Jubayl on September 12, 1990, but operated 24-hours of programming since January 2, 1991. As of January 1991, the Desert Shield Network is staffed by more than 50 military broadcasters operating out of four vans in the cities ofRiyadh,Dhahran, Al Jubayl, andKing Khalid Military City, and reaches nearly 90% of the U.S. military personnel featuring a 50/50 mix of news and contemporary music with jingles produced byJAM Creative Productions during each break of song or news breaks. At the time, the network began producing three minutes of local news per day which later expanded in its lineup. The vans are mobile studios containing 21 relay transmitters carrying radio signals to troops on various FM frequencies depending on location. Right after the operation became known as "Desert Storm", it retained its "Desert Shield Network" name due to the staff expecting to continue operations for an unspecified period of time until the end.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

[edit]
AFN Iraq on-air radio studio. Baghdad, Iraq (April 2004).

AFN-Iraq began broadcasting in December 2003 on theFM band shortly after the fall ofSaddam. The first song on the air was "Freedom" byPaul McCartney. Within a short time, Freedom Radio was broadcasting on multiple FM channels from as far south as Basra to as far north as Mosul.

AFN-Iraq, Freedom Radio began as a joint effort between the Air Force, the Marines and the Army. The first unit to operate the station was the222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment, an Army Reserve unit based in southern California."Always There and on the Air" was the phrase that started it all, even though there were only eight hours of live radio to kick things off.

After an introduction fromLt. Gen.Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of Coalition Ground Forces in Iraq, Air Force Master Sergeant Erik Brazones was the first DJ on the air. When the 222nd BOD took the reins of the radio operations, the first two regular radio shows wereNiki Cage in the Morning andAbbey in the Afternoon. AFN-Iraq signed off in 2011.

Operation Enduring Freedom

[edit]

AFN Afghanistan operated out of a building onBagram Air Base. Its radio frequency throughout Afghanistan was 94.1 and 97.1 in Manas and produced live local shows. Its first radio transmission was at 06 o'clock 30 min on Friday, 21 July 2006. Beyond radio, AFN Afghanistan also had television news. It produced a daily five-minute newscast called Freedom Watch Afghanistan, which also aired on thePentagon Channel.

The station was typically staffed with Air Force broadcasters but also slots Army, Navy and Marine broadcasters as well. For support there were usually four-man teams of engineers to handle all transmission, decoder and satellite issues.

Operations in Western Europe

[edit]

AFN in Germany and SEB (Southern European Broadcasting) in Italy provided broadcasting to U.S. troops in Western Europe throughout theCold War. The U.S. defense drawdown began in earnest after the Gulf War, and affected AFN stations across Europe, as many stations were consolidated or deactivated with the closing of bases. In Europe, AFN is still on the air fromTuzla,Bosnia, andTaszár, Hungary, to inform and entertain U.S. forces.[citation needed]

AFN went on the air 29 May with service at theTirana airport inAlbania with satellite decoders and large-screen televisions placed in high traffic areas. At the same time, the AFN also advanced into the Yugoslav province ofKosovo along withNATO.

AFN viewers abroad witnessed live television coverage of theterrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001.

During military operations inAfghanistan and Iraq AFN provided non-stop coverage of the campaigns. AFN broadcast personnel from Europe deployed with the troops to cover events. Today AFN has a staffed affiliate in Iraq, AFN-Baghdad (launched in 2003).

Wherever large numbers of U.S. troops are deployed, the AFN sets up operation, providing news and entertainment from home. Today AFN has several satellites and uses advanceddigital compression technology to broadcast TV and radio to 177 countries and territories, as well as on board U.S. Navy vessels.

Media services

[edit]

There were plans for transitioning AFN TV toHDTV with an estimated completion timeframe between 2015 and 2017. However, the conversion to HD is an expensive project, so timelines and actual transition of channels was dependent on availability of funds. In December 2017, AFN converted all of its channels to HD; broadcasts started in the format on December 12.[45]

All programming delivered by satellite isPowerVuencryptedDVB. While programming is provided to AFN by major American TV networks and program syndicators at little to no cost, forcopyright andlicensing reasons it is intended solely for U.S. forces personnel, authorized Department of Defense civilian employees,State Department diplomatic personnel and their families overseas.

AFN-TV is available to authorized viewers by "Direct-to-Home" (DTH) service with set-top decoders purchased or leased through military exchanges (similar to a membership store), licensed/contracted commercial cable operators, purchased used from other military members (the cheapest option) orterrestrial signal. The advent of DTH service coincides with the phasing-out of AFN terrestrial TV broadcasts due to reclamation of frequencies by host nations.

Most of AFN's programming ceases duringgovernment shutdowns. News programming continues as scheduled to provide troops overeseas with updates and commentary from the States. Sports programming to which the AFN has already purchased rights continues to be carried, as the skeleton crew operating AFN for essential programming does not save any money byblacking out the programs.

AFN programming

[edit]

While the audience tunes into AFN to watch their favorite shows or listen to the latest stateside hits, entertainment is the "candy coating" used to attract the military viewer/listener. AFN's primary mission is to provide access for worldwide, regional and local command information (CI) spots, which air during commercial breaks in programming instead of commercial advertisements. These CI spots run the gamut from reminding service members to register to vote, promoting local command-sponsored recreation events and off-duty educational programs, providing health and wellness tips, and listing what's playing at local base movie theaters.

AFN also insertspublic service announcements from theAd Council. Some of the 35 overseas AFN affiliates have the capability to cover the "worldwide" CI spots placed by the AFN Broadcast Center in California with regional or locally produced CI spots (such as localized messages from senior leadership).

Many service members welcome this approach, while others find it troublesome, especially during the airing of theSuper Bowl.

The network is allowed to broadcast commercial movie promotion trailers provided by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and the Navy Motion Picture Service (NMPS) to promote the latest film releases in base theaters worldwide. Previously these were the only true "commercials" authorized for broadcast.

AFN Radio and TV schedules are available on the organization's website.[46]

Radio

[edit]

AFN also offers a variety of radio programming over its various frequencies throughout the world. There is both local programming (with military disc jockeys) and satellite programming.

On 24 April 2006, AFN Europe launched AFN The Eagle, a virtually 24-hour-a-day radio service format initially modeled after "Jack FM," but most recently a "Hot AC" format. This replaced ZFM, which had more of a contemporary hit radio flavor. When the Eagle was launched, AFN Europe took control of what local DJs could play. This model has since been scaled to the Pacific region as well.

Television

[edit]
icon
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Like its radio counterpart, AFN TV tries to air programming from a variety of sources to replicate programming on a typical U.S. TV channel; sourcing from U.S. commercial networks (including PBS), and program syndicators at little to no cost since AFN does not air commercials and in that regard cannot profit from airing shows like stations in the United States can. In their place, AFN inserts public service announcements on various subjects; these can be civilian "agency spots" created by theAd Council, nationally recognized religious and public health charities, or announcements created by regional/local AFN affiliates. The most common PSAs shown deal with force protection/anti-terrorism, public health and safety,sexual harassment, pride in service and messages to the troops.

AFN produces and broadcasts eight core satellite television channels for its authorized audiences. All eight are accessible in core areas, including but not limited to European, Korean and Japanese posts. Much of the rest of the world is limited to a smaller (four channel) but more widespread broadcast.

Channels
[edit]

Unless specified, the first telecast of each channel targets the Japan/Korea region, then replayed several hours later for the Central European time zone.

  • AFN Prime. Formerly AFN Atlantic and AFN Pacific. The standard AFN feed airs currentsitcoms,dramas, syndicatedcourt shows,talk shows,game shows andreality shows popular in the United States, with a time delay from 24 hours to six months or more behind the United States airdates. In addition, popular U.S.soap operas such asGeneral Hospital are aired by AFN on a one-week tape delay. This stream is divided into three feeds (AFN Prime Atlantic,AFN Prime Freedom (Middle East) andAFN Prime Pacific); the difference between the three is that they are time-shifted so that programs air at the same local time in each of the major regions served: Japan/Korea, Central Europe and Iraq. Many regional feeds (such as AFN-Europe and AFN-Korea) are based on AFN Prime and add local programming to it; thus, in a way, AFN Prime mimics the regular network TV concept.AFN Prime Freedom started in 2006 as a customized time-shifted version of AFN Prime for Afghanistan[47] and shuttered services in June 2013 after the drawdown of troops from the Middle East.[48]
  • AFN Spectrum. AFN Spectrum started as more of a conservative culture-oriented channel with programming from cable networks and classic TV series. In a way, it mimicked the "superstation" concept from cablecastersTBS andWGN America. However, the Spectrum lineup currently contains more conventional programming, likeAmerican Idol andUgly Betty, as some of the public television and classic fare that made up Spectrum is being reduced but remain the primary constant on the channel.
  • AFN News. AFN News is a rolling-news channel providing news from all major news outlets. Newscasts, such as theNBC Nightly News,Fox News,ABC World News Tonight andCBS Evening News, were all scheduled to air in the mornings so viewers could watch the headlines live, but now they air on a tape delay in the regular early evening slot, back to back.
  • AFN Family/AFN Pulse. AFN Family is a general entertainment channel providing programming for children ages 2 to 17. Although the name of the channel suggests programming appropriate for all family members at any time, the channel more closely resemblesFreeform orNickelodeon, with programming targeted at specific age groups during the course of the day. Programming during after school from 3 p.m. local time to 1 a.m. local time targets pre-schoolers but "ages" as older children become available to watch in the late morning and day. By 1 a.m. local time, programming is targeted at older teens. In September 2013, AFN launched a split in Family, which was branded AFN Pulse. About half of the day's programming remains aimed at the 2-to-13 age group. During primetime hours, the channel becomes AFN Pulse, and showcases programming primarily aimed at the older teen demographic, though it remains suitable for family viewing.
  • AFN Movie. AFN Movie is a channel showcasing movies as well as film-oriented programming.
  • AFN Sports. AFN Sports is a rolling-sports channel, providing sports news and events, includingESPN'sSportsCenter and live and delayed broadcasts of theNFL,NBA,NASCAR,MLB,NHL,NCAA college football,men's andwomen's NCAA college basketball,FIFA soccer andPGA Tour, as well as other highly rated team competitions. Most major boxing and martial arts events, including all pay-per-view events fromWWE and other promoters, airs on the channel with no additional payment to the viewer.
  • AFN Sports 2. Launched in February 2006, as AFN Xtra. It is AFN's exclusive home forUFC andWWE programming, including all pay-per-view events, as well as motor sports, includingNASCAR,NHRA,Motocross, and other auto and motorcycle racing series.

Internet radio

[edit]

In November 2013, the American Forces Network launched Internet radio streams expanding the reach of the military network's radio programming overseas.[49]

Regional stations

[edit]

AFN Europe

[edit]

The physical/internet radio stations in Europe are as follows:[50]

AFN Pacific

[edit]

The physical/internet radio stations in the Asia-Pacific region are as follows:[66]

  • Daegu
  • Diego Garcia
  • Casey
  • Iwakuni
  • Kunsan
  • Misawa
  • Okinawa
  • Sasebo
  • Tokyo

AFN Go programs

[edit]

AFN Go, formerly AFN 360, provides the following nine music and spoken word stations.[66]

In November 2022, AFN launched a streaming video service namedAFN Now with mobile applications forAndroid (operating system), iOS,Roku, &Amazon FireTV[67]

AFN frequencies and transmitters by country (alphabetical)

[edit]
This list related to film, television, or video isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(October 2021)

Bahrain

[edit]

Radio: AFN Bahrain

Belgium

[edit]

Television:

Historical data only – AFN Prime Atlantic/AFN Benelux (NTSC)

Terrestrial transmission of the AFN TV service in Belgium ended in 2010.[68]

Radio:AFN Benelux – The Eagle

  • 101.7 FM:Everberg, Kortenberg (900 W), 50°52'10.19 N 4°34'41.60 E; serving NATO HQ and much of northern Brussels Capital Region
  • 106.2 FM:Kleine Brogel, Peer (200 W), 51°10'20 N 5°27'28 E
  • 106.5 FM: SHAPE, Casteau (200 W), 50°29'50 N 3°59'15 E
  • 107.9 FM:Chièvres (100 W), 50°35'00 N 3°50'40 E

[69]

FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter sitegeographical locationRemarks
101.7 MHz1 kWEverberg50.869497 N 4.578222 E
106.2 MHz0.1 kWKleine-Brogel/Air Base51.172222 N 5.457778 E
106.5 MHz0.2 kWCasteau-Shape50.497222 N 3.987500 E
107.9 MHz0.1 kWChièvres/Air Base50.583333 N 3.844444 E

Cuba

[edit]

Radio GTMO transmits locally forGuantanamo Bay Naval Base.[70]

  • 1340 AM: News and talk radio rebroadcasts (coordinates of mast: 19.941530 N 75.115691 W )
  • 102.1 FM: Top 40, urban, dance, rock music
  • 103.1 FM: Country music

Germany

[edit]
[icon]
This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(October 2022)

Mediumwave AM

[edit]

As the transmission frequencies in the medium wave range were reassigned or adapted to the 9 kHz grid in 1978 as part of the implementation of theGeneva Wave Plan, the values used before 1978 can also be found in the table.

FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter siteGeographical locationRemarks
873 kHz (until 1978: 872 kHz)150 kWWeisskirchen3 guyed lattice steel masts insulated against ground, height: 86 meters (282 ft),
Directional Antenna Mode
50°10′59″N8°36′45″E / 50.18306°N 8.61250°E /50.18306; 8.61250Shut down on 31 May 2013
1107 kHz (until 1978: 935 kHz)10 kWBerlin-Dahlem126-meter-tall (413 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground52°27′47″N13°17′26″E / 52.46306°N 13.29056°E /52.46306; 13.29056Shut down on 15 July 1994,
Mast demolished on
14 December 1996
1107 kHz (until 1978: 611 kHz)10 kWGrafenwöhr66-meter-tall (217 ft) guyed tubular steel mast insulated against ground49°42′47″N11°54′42″E / 49.71306°N 11.91167°E /49.71306; 11.91167Shut down in 2008
Mast dismantled in 2009
1107 kHz (until 1978: 611 kHz)10 kWKaiserslautern-Otterbach136-meter-tall (446 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground49°29′27″N7°43′3″E / 49.49083°N 7.71750°E /49.49083; 7.71750Shut down on 31 August 2014
1107 kHz (until 1978: 1106 kHz)40 kWMunich-Ismaning2 guyed lattice steel masts insulated against ground, height: 94 meters (308 ft)48°14′40″N11°44′42″E / 48.24444°N 11.74500°E /48.24444; 11.74500Shut down in 2005
1106 kHz50 kWMühlacker110-meter-tall (360 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground48.9417 N 8.8489 Ereplaced in 1963 by transmitter in Hirschlanden
1107 kHz (until 1978: 611 kHz)10 kWNürnberg122-meter-tall (400 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground49.445989 N 10.996319 EShut down
1107 kHz10 kWVilseck65-meter-tall (213 ft) guyed tubular steel mast insulated against ground49°38′41″N11°47′1″E / 49.64472°N 11.78361°E /49.64472; 11.78361Shut down on 31 October 2016
(last German AM station)
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)300 WBad Hersfeld25-meter-tall (82 ft) free-standing tower insulated against ground~50.857514 N 9.737982 EShut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1034 kHz)300 WBad Kissingen48-meter-tall (157 ft) guyed mast radiatorshut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)300 WBamberg40-meter-tall (130 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground49°53′17″N10°55′24″E / 49.88806°N 10.92333°E /49.88806; 10.92333Shut down in December 2013
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1394 kHz)1 kWBitburg54-meter-tall (177 ft) guyed mast radiator49°56′35″N6°32′29″E / 49.94306°N 6.54139°E /49.94306; 6.54139Shut down in 2013
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)5 kWBremerhaven65-meter-tall (213 ft) guyed mast radiator53.5798889 N 8.56047222 EShut down on 31 March 1993
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)300 WFulda54-meter-tall (177 ft) guyed mast radiator~50.536182 N 9.720572 EShut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1502 kHz)300 WGiessen61-meter-tall (200 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground50°35′27″N8°43′6″E / 50.59083°N 8.71833°E /50.59083; 8.71833Shut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)300 WGöppingen37-meter-tall (121 ft) guyed mast radiator~50.536182 N 9.720572 E ?Shut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)1 kWHeidelberg65-meter (213 ft) guyed tubular steel mast insulated against ground49°25′58″N8°38′42″E / 49.43278°N 8.64500°E /49.43278; 8.64500Shut down on 28 April 2014
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)10 kWStuttgart-Hirschlanden40-meter-tall (130 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground48°49′43″N9°2′11″E / 48.82861°N 9.03639°E /48.82861; 9.03639Operated byMedia Broadcast
Shut down, 7 March 2014
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1394 kHz)1 kWHof45-meter-tall (148 ft) guyed mast radiator50.318412 N 11.894564 EShut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1034 kHz)1 kWKarlsruhe61-meter-tall (200 ft) guyed mast radiator49.0287 N 8.4275 EShut down
1143 kHz1 kWMönchengladbach45.5-meter-tall (149 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground51°10′2″N6°23′56″E / 51.16722°N 6.39889°E /51.16722; 6.39889Shut down on 27 January 2016
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)300 WSchweinfurtT-antenna between 2 40-foot-tall (12 m)? free-standing lattice towers50°3′6″N10°10′31″E / 50.05167°N 10.17528°E /50.05167; 10.17528Shut down in 2014
1143 kHz300 WSpangdahlem49.9601 N 6.6827 Ein service from 2013 to 2015
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)1 kWUlm48.4321 N 9.9845 EShut down in the 1980s
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)300 WWertheim49.7575 N 9.5224 EShut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1502 kHz)300 WWildflecken45-meter-tall (148 ft) guyed mast radiatorShut down
1143 kHz (until 1978: 1142 kHz)300 WWürzburg40-meter-tall (130 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground49°47′26″N9°58′54″E / 49.79056°N 9.98167°E /49.79056; 9.98167Shut down in 2008
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1034 kHz)300 WAnsbach-Katterbach67-meter-tall (220 ft) guyed tubular steel mast insulated against ground49°19′17″N10°35′44″E / 49.32139°N 10.59556°E /49.32139; 10.59556Shut down
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1394 kHz)1 kWAugsburg56-meter-tall (184 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground48°21′8″N10°51′19″E / 48.35222°N 10.85528°E /48.35222; 10.85528Shut down in 1998
mast demolished in 2008
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)300 WBerchtesgaden34-meter-tall (112 ft) guyed mast radiatorShut down
1485 kHz300 W (until 1978: 1394 kHz)Crailsheim65-meter-tall (213 ft) guyed mast radiator49.1408 N 10.0442 EShut down
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1502 kHz)300 WGarmisch-Partenkirchen30-meter-tall (98 ft) guyed mast radiator47°28′58″N11°3′20″E / 47.48278°N 11.05556°E /47.48278; 11.05556Shut down
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1502 kHz)300 WHohenfels40-meter-tall (130 ft) guyed lattice steel mast insulated against ground49°13′14″N11°51′12″E / 49.22056°N 11.85333°E /49.22056; 11.85333Shut down
1485 kHz (until 1978: 1304 kHz)300 WRegensburgLong wire antenna on wooden 20-meter (66 ft) towerShut down

FM

[edit]
FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter sitegeographical locationRemarks
87.7 MHz0.1 kWSchweinfurt50°3'13" N 10°12'54" EShut down
87.9 MHz1 kWBerlinNow used by Star FM Maximum Rock
89.9 MHz0.245 kWAmberg49°25'49 N 11°50'49 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
90.3 MHz0.05 kWGarmisch-Partenkirchen47°29'16 N 11°03'47 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
90.3 MHz0.02 kWPrien47°49'52"N 12°18'0" EShut down
92.2 MHzMemmingenShut down
92.9 MHzGarlstedtShut down
93.5 MHz1 kWSögelShut down
93.5 MHz0.25 kWHohenfels49°13'44 N 11°50'43 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
96.5 MHzHelmstedtShut down
97.7 MHz0.1 kWBad AiblingShut down
98.5 MHz1 kWGrafenwoehr49°40'08 N 11°49'54 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
98.7 MHz50 kWGrosser Feldberg50.232162 N 8.457327 EShut down on 19 January 2017
98.7 MHzBirkenfeldShut down
98.9 MHz0.1 kWBamberg49°37'19 N 7°19'58 EShut down
100 MHz15 kWAugsburg158.5-meter-tall (520 ft) concrete tower10°43'06 N 48°26'53" EShut down
100.2 MHz5 kWKaiserslautern-Vogelweh49°25'46 N 7°41'01 Enow 105.1 MHz
102.3 MHz100 kWStuttgart193-meter-tall (633 ft) concrete tower48°45′49″N9°12′20″E / 48.76361°N 9.20556°E /48.76361; 9.20556Deutsche Telekom transmitter
102.6 MHzSchwäbisch GmündShut down
102.6 MHzUlmShut down
103.0 MHz0.375 kWPirmasens49°12'53 N 7°36'42 E
103.7 MHz0.5 kWWiesbaden/Mainz-Kastel50°04'35 N 8°16'14 EOpened on 19 January 2017
(in exchange for Grosser Feldberg)
104.1 MHzGrafenwöhr49°40'08 N 11°49'54 EMoved to 98.5 MHz
104.6 MHz0.375 kWHeidelbergAerial on AM broadcasting mast49°25′58″N8°38′42″E / 49.43278°N 8.64500°E /49.43278; 8.64500Shut down
104.9 MHz0.375 kWIllesheim49°28'25 N 10°22'36 EMoved to 98.5 MHz
104.9 MHz0.16 kWWürzburgAerial on AM broadcasting mast49°47′26″N9°58′54″E / 49.79056°N 9.98167°E /49.79056; 9.98167Shut down
105.1 MHz1 kWSpangdahlemLattice tower49°59'01 N 6°41'31 E
105.1 MHzKaiserslautern49°25'46 N 7°41'01 ETransmits AFN Kaiserslautern
105.1 MHzRheinbergShut down
105.2 MHzHessisch OldendorfShut down
106.1 MHzKalkarShut down
106.1 MHz0.02 kWBaumholder49°37'19 N 7°19'58 ETransmits AFN Kaiserslautern
106.5 MHzFlensburgShut down
107.3 MHz1 kWAnsbach49°18'50 N 10°38'21 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
107.3 MHzMannheim-Käfertal49°31'21 N 8°31'17 EShut down
107.4 MHz0.3 kWFürthShut down
107.6 MHzBad Godesberg50.668711 N 7.152063 EShut down
107.7 MHz0.25 kWVilseck49°38'33 N 11°47'46 ETransmits AFN Bavaria
107.9 MHzBremerhaven53.539499 N 8.596621 EShut down

See also[1]. The AFN transmitters in Germany are operated by different authorities but most are operated directly by the U.S. military. Some are the property ofDeutsche Telekom, while others are controlled by Germanpublic broadcasting corporations.

Greece

[edit]

Honduras

[edit]

IraqFreedom Radio

[edit]

[AllFreedom Radio–Iraq stations went off the air on 30 September 2011, as a result of the continuing draw-down of U.S. Military personnel. Listing remains to document the coverage of Iraq.]

Italy

[edit]
A host at American Forces Network Sigonella holds on-air interviews with former NFL playersPrince Amukamara,Amobi Okoye andBrandon Bostick in 2023

In Italy there are 4 radio stations that serve 5 bases and more than 14 cities:

  • AFN The Eagle – 106.0 FM
    • Monte Serra – AFN Livorno (43°29'33.22 N 10°21'09.76 O) (After the closing of AFN Livorno it will be transmitted AFN Vicenza) in Pisa (Camp Darby), Livorno, Viareggio and the surrounding area.
    • Monte Venda – AFN Vicenza in Vicenza (45°28'15 N 11°00'04 O) (Caserma Ederle and Del Din), Verona, Venezia, Padova, Sud Treviso and the surrounding area.
    • Aviano – AFN Aviano in Pordenone (Aviano Air Base) (46°05'16 N 12°31'57 E), Udine and the surrounding area.
  • AFN Naples – 107.9 FM Collina dei Camaldoli Naples (Naval Base), Caserta, South Avellino and the highest zones (there are interferences)
  • AFN Sigonella ( 37°28'00 N 14°57'00 E) – 105.9 FM in Catania (Naval and Air Base), North Siracusa and the surrounding area.
  • AFN Power Network
    • Monte Serra – AFN Livorno Power (After the closing of AFN Livorno it will be transmitted AFN Vicenza) in Pisa (Camp Darby), Livorno, Viareggio and the surrounding area.
    • Monte Venda (45°28'16.09 N 11°00'05 E) – AFN Vicenza Power in Vicenza (Caserma Ederle and Del Din), Verona, Venezia, Padova, Sud Treviso and the surrounding area.
    • Collina dei Camaldoli ( 40°51'28.90 N 14°11'56.10 E) – AFN Naples Power in Naples (Naval Base), Caserta, South Avellino and the highest zones (there are interferences).
    • Sigonella ( 37°28'00.00 N 14°57'00.00 E) – AFN Sigonella Power in Catania (Naval and Air Base), North Siracusa and the surrounding area.
    • Aviano ( 46°05'16.00 N 12°31'57.00 E) – AFN Aviano Power in Pordenone (Aviano Air Base), Udine and the surrounding area.[71]

AFN Italy, has been serving Americans that live on American Bases in Pisa, Vicenza, Aviano, Napoli and Sigonella, since 1983.

Frequency table

FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter sitegeographical locationRemarks
97.3 MHz31.6 kWNapoli/Camaldoli 4 (EI)40.858042 N 14.198914 E
105.3 MHz100 kWLusiana/Monte Corno-Vecchio45.798220 N 11.547092 E
105.9 MHz3.2 kWMotta Sant'Anastasia/Base NA37.466667 N 14.95 E ?
106.0 MHz125.9 kWAviano/Castaldia-Piancavallo46.087958 N 12.532386 E
106.0 MHz25.1 kWLivorno/Castellaccio-Via del43.492573 N 10.352707 E
106.0 MHz15.8 kWVerona/Torricelle45.470970 N 11.001212 E
107.0 MHz125.9 kWAviano/Castaldia-Piancavallo46.087958 N 12.532386 E
107.0 MHz125.9 kWBassano del Grappa/Frazione45.802614 N 11.670636 E
107.0 MHz15.8 kWVerona/Torricelle-Via Santa45.470970 N 11.001212 E

Japan

[edit]

Netherlands

[edit]

Radio: AFNSoesterberg 1964–1993 (former location at grid 52°7'25"N 5°15'13"E) Transmissions ceased at the dissolution of USAF 32nd TFS

  • AM – AFRS Soesterberg (1140 kHz syndicated 1964–1972 from AFN Bremerhaven) 5 kW[72]
  • FM – AFN Eagle Radio (93.1 MHz live & syndicated 1973–1994 from Camp New Amsterdam/Soesterberg airbase) 0.015 kW[73]

The morning "Touch and Go" show from 5–9 am and the afternoon "Afterburner" show from 3–6 pm were live. The rest of the hours was syndicated from AFN Frankfurt.

Television: AFN Benelux syndicated (early 1980s only UHF channel 80 NTSC)[74]

Currently active radio & TV:

Frequency table

FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter sitegeographical locationRemarks
99.7 MHz0.25 kWBrunssum/NATO JFC50.937575 N 5.979056 E
107.9 MHz0.1 kWZeeland/Nieuwveldsestraat51.683689 N 5.678189 E

Saudi Arabia

[edit]

Table of AFN-transmitters inSaudi Arabia. Table may be incorrect and incomplete. Please correct and expand if necessary.

FM

[edit]
[75]
FrequencyPowerSignal TypeCityTransmitter siteApproximate Geographical LocationChannel Name (Slogan)Genre
103.1 MHz100 WMonoRiyadhEskan Village (Al-Kharj Rd.)24°34′59″N46°51′39″E / 24.58306°N 46.86083°E /24.58306; 46.86083Voice Channel (NPR News)News,Talkshows,Jazz &Oldies
103.9 MHz100 WMonoRiyadhEskan Village (Al-Kharj Rd.)//Mainstream CountryCountry
105.1 MHz100 WMonoRiyadhEskan Village (Al-Kharj Rd.)//Z RockAlternative rock
105.9 MHz100 WMonoRiyadhEskan Village (Al-Kharj Rd.)//Gravity[76]Urban Rhythmic (R&B,Pop &Hip hop)
107.9 MHz100 WMonoRiyadhEskan Village (Al-Kharj Rd.)//Hot AC (Today's Best Hits)Young adult alternative/80's and 90's
103.1 MHz21 WStereoRiyadhRiyadh U.S. Embassy24°40′52″N46°37′13″E / 24.68111°N 46.62028°E /24.68111; 46.62028Voice Channel (NPR News)News,Talkshows,Jazz &Oldies
105.1 MHz10 WStereoRiyadhRiyadh U.S. Embassy//Z RockAlternative rock
107.9 MHz30 WStereoRiyadhRiyadh U.S. Embassy//Mainstream CountryCountry
93.7 MHz250 WMonoJeddahJeddah U.S. Embassy21°31′33″N39°09′52″E / 21.52583°N 39.16444°E /21.52583; 39.16444Hot AC (Today's Best Hits)Young adult alternative/80's and 90's
100.7 MHz250 WJeddahJeddah U.S. Embassy//Voice Channel (NPR News)News,Talkshows,Jazz &Oldies
103.9 MHz50 WStereoJeddahJeddah U.S. Embassy//Jack FM1980s & 1990s

The AFNFMTransmitters inSaudi Arabia are managed by the U.S. military.

Spain

[edit]

Radio:AFN Rota Radio – The Eagle

FrequencyPowerLocationDescription of transmitter sitegeographical locationRemarks
92.1 MHz0.1 kWMorón de la Frontera37.133333 N 5.433333 W
102.5 MHz4 kWRota36.616667 N 6.350000 W

South Korea

[edit]

Television

[edit]

NOTE: All over-the-air television broadcasts in South Korea ended in May 2012. The following are previous stations.

AM Radio (Thunder AM)

[edit]

FM Radio (AFN Eagle)

[edit]

resource:[77]

Turkey

[edit]

Radio:AFN Incirlik – The Eagle

Shortwave (USB)

[edit]

The last known confirmation of AFN using its shortwave frequencies was in the mid-2010s. Current (2022) bandscans show no signal on any of AFN's frequencies.

QSL card from AFRTS

See: AFN Shortwave Frequencies[78]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"The American Forces Network".MilitaryBenefits.info. 13 June 2019. Retrieved30 September 2020.
  2. ^ab"Historical Summary: American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS)"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 20 February 2012. Retrieved14 March 2012.
  3. ^"AFRTS". Afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil. Archived fromthe original on 15 December 2009. Retrieved31 December 2009.
  4. ^History of AFRTS, the First 50 Years. American Forces Information Service and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. 1992.
  5. ^Mackenzie, Harry (1999).The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series (Viva America for Spanish speaking servicemen). Westport CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 21.ISBN 9780313308123.ISBN 0313308128
  6. ^Bronfman, Alejanda; Wood, Andrew Grant (2012).Media Sound & Culture in Latin America. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 49.ISBN 9780822977957.ISBN 978-0822961871
  7. ^Anthony, Edwin D. (1973)."Records of the Radio Division"(PDF).Records of the Office of Inter-American Affairs. Vol. Inventory of Record Group 229. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Record Services – General Services Administration. pp. 25–26.LCCN 73-600146.
  8. ^Dissonant Divas in Chicana Music: The Limits of La Onda Deborah R. Vargas. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2012 pp. 152–155ISBN 978-0816673162 OCIAA (Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs), FDR's Good Neighbor Policy, CBS, Viva America, Armed Forces Radio Service and La Cadena de las Americas on google.books.com
  9. ^"Viva America".radiogoldindex.com.Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved26 March 2019.
  10. ^"German Listening: Amerikanischer Soldatensender AFN".about.com (in German and English). 2015. Archived fromthe original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved22 June 2015.
  11. ^Graeber, Stephanie (2010).Der amerikanische Einfluss auf die Rolle des Radios in Nachkriegsbayern (in German). GRIN Verlag. p. 73.ISBN 978-3640591619. Retrieved22 June 2015.
  12. ^"Antifascistische oud-Verzetsstrijders Nederland – Bond van antifascisten". Afvn.nl. Retrieved22 April 2022.
  13. ^The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series Harry MacKenzie, Greeenwood Press, CT. 1999, p. 198ISBN 0313308128 "Seventh Army Symphony on Armed Forces Radio in 1961 performing works by Vivaldi and Dvorak"
  14. ^Kenner, James L."Musical Ambassadors, Soldiers, Too"Army, August 1958. p 60
  15. ^abTelevision Factbook, Issues 39–40, Television Digest, Inc., 1969
  16. ^A Social History of Iranian Cinema, Volume 2: The Industrializing Years, 1941–1978, Hamid Naficy, Duke University Press, 2011, page 46
  17. ^Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Volume 77, SMPTE, 1968, page 512
  18. ^Communications and Development Review, Volume 1, Issues 1–4, Iran Communications and Development Institute, 1977
  19. ^The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 7, Cambridge University Press, 1989, pp. 810–811
  20. ^Iran Almanac and Book of Facts, Echo of Iran, 1974, page 129
  21. ^Political Elite of Iran, Marvin Zonis, Princeton University Press, 1976, page 247
  22. ^Iran 69: An Independent Survey of the Iranian Economy, 1969, page 88
  23. ^Iran Almanac and Book of Facts, Volume 16, Echo of Iran., 1977, page 125
  24. ^Jonny (21 October 2017),American Forces Network Radio (1950-2012),archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved18 November 2017
  25. ^Bahram9821 (11 February 2012),NIRT International Radio, retrieved24 November 2017{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^Iran "NIRT International Radio" onYouTube, 11 February 2012
  27. ^Intermedia, Volume 17, International Institute of Communications, 1989, page 37
  28. ^ab"AFVN – American Forces Vietnam Network".Archived from the original on 6 October 2009.
  29. ^"Rock Radio Scrapbook: AFVN: The GI's Companion".rockradioscrapbook.ca. Retrieved11 October 2022.
  30. ^Engelmann, Larry (1990).Tears before the Rain: An Oral History of the Fall of South Vietnam. Oxford University Press. p. 372.ISBN 978-0199878925. Retrieved22 June 2015.
  31. ^"AFTN – The American Forces Thailand Network".aftn.net. 2015. Retrieved22 June 2015.
  32. ^"Canal 8 cierra el 1 de julio luego de laborar por 50 años". 24 June 1999.
  33. ^"El Canal en manos panameñas ha aportado $16.818 millones".Metrolibre.
  34. ^ab"Stars and Stripes (European Edition Archives".www.stripes.com. Retrieved11 October 2022.
  35. ^Zitty, Volume 18, Issues 23–25, Zitty Verlag GmbH, 1994
  36. ^Medienlandschaft im Umbruch: Medien- und Kommunikationsatlas Berlin, Günter Bentele, Otfried Jarren, Ulrich Kratzsch, Vistas Verlag, 1990, page 260
  37. ^"Korean cable firms to stop AFN broadcasts".Stripes.com. 7 November 2007. Retrieved31 December 2009.
  38. ^"Afnkorea.net".afnkorea.net. Archived fromthe original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved6 April 2023.
  39. ^"Preocupa suspensión de licitación de canal 8".Panamá América. 28 March 2000.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved29 June 2023.
  40. ^"Gobierno no fija aún precio base del Canal 8".Panamá América. 25 May 2000.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved29 June 2023.
  41. ^"Gobierno divide en cuatro las frecuencias de canal 8".Panamá América. 10 August 2000.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved5 July 2023.
  42. ^"Piden que canal 8 sea televisión educativa".Panamá América. 1 April 2001.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved29 June 2023.
  43. ^"Fijan fecha para licitación de Canal 8". 24 March 2001.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved29 June 2023.
  44. ^"El 10 de julio se licitará la frecuencia del canal 8". 26 June 2001.Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved29 June 2023.
  45. ^"AFN goes HD in Europe Dec 12".Stuttgart Citizen. 6 December 2017.Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved27 March 2023.
  46. ^"myAFN Schedule".Defense Media Activity. 2015. Retrieved22 June 2015.
  47. ^"AFN brings one more channel to the line up".Incirlik Air Base. 22 December 2006.Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved18 July 2024.
  48. ^"AFN to tweak decoder settings, June 4–24". 21 May 2013.Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved18 July 2024.
  49. ^"AFN Internet radio service goes global Tuesday". Stars and Stripes. 29 November 2013.
  50. ^"Welcome to AFN Go Internet Radio". American Forces Network Europe.
  51. ^"AFN Go".
  52. ^"AFN Go".
  53. ^"AFN Go".
  54. ^"AFN Go".
  55. ^"AFN Go".
  56. ^"AFN Go".
  57. ^"AFN Go".
  58. ^"AFN Go".
  59. ^"AFN Go".
  60. ^"AFN Go".
  61. ^"AFN Go".
  62. ^"AFN Go".
  63. ^"AFN Go".
  64. ^"AFN Go".
  65. ^"AFN Go".
  66. ^ab"Welcome to AFN Go Internet Radio". American Forces Network Pacific.
  67. ^"Support".afn-now.experience.crmforce.mil. Retrieved6 April 2023.
  68. ^"5th Signal deactivating outdated AFN TV transmitters".Kaiserslautern American. AdvantiPro GmbH. 16 July 2010. Retrieved7 April 2018.
  69. ^"Radio Frequencies".American Forces Network Europe. American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). Retrieved7 April 2018.
  70. ^Martin, Emily R. (26 May 2017)."Steady Rockin' in Fidel's Backyard".Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Archived fromthe original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved26 July 2021.
  71. ^"FM DX Italy: Ascolti FM e TV a lunga distanza (DX) – Europa – Italia 2006, dopo l'unione dei database".www.fmdx.altervista.org.
  72. ^"Freewave Nostalgie |".
  73. ^"Freewave Nostalgie |".
  74. ^"Freewave Nostalgie |".
  75. ^"myAFN Affiliates". Myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil. Retrieved30 April 2010.[permanent dead link]
  76. ^"myAFN - American Forces Network Online".myAFN. Retrieved11 October 2022.
  77. ^"AFN Viewer's Lounge for Koreans". Afn.co.kr. Archived fromthe original on 14 March 2009. Retrieved31 December 2009.
  78. ^"myAFN - American Forces Network Online".myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil. Retrieved11 October 2022.

Further reading

[edit]
External videos
video iconThe Story of American Forces Network (AFN) – The Big Picture, YouTube video
video icon1980's AFN Special "An Inside Look", YouTube video
  • History of AFRTS: The first 50 years.U.S. Government Printing Office (1993).
  • Patrick Morley: 'This Is the American Forces Network': The Anglo-American Battle of the Air Waves in World War II. Praeger Publishing (2001).
  • Trent Christman:Brass Button Broadcasters: A Lighthearted Look at Fifty Years of Military Broadcasting. Turner Publishing (1992).

External links

[edit]

Media related toAmerican Forces Network at Wikimedia Commons

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