AFN Berlin

AFN Berlin was a US military broadcast station located at Podbielskiallee 28 in Berlin-Dahlem. It started broadcasting at noon on August 4, 1945, with the Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. The TV studio was located on Saargemünder Strasse, across from the Berlin Brigade Headquarters compound.

This transmitter at *Clayallee* was also used to broadcast AFN TV Berlin, 1986.

During the Berlin Blockade AFN Berlin started broadcasting around the clock. After the building of the Berlin Wall AFN Berlin radio then stayed on the air 24 hours until July 1994. TV programming was normally from 15:00 to 01:00 weekdays and 12:00 to 01:00 on weekends during the mid 1970s.

AFN Berlin had three stations:

a medium-wave AM station at 1107 kHz
an FM station at 87.85 MHz (adjusted to 87.9 MHz at a later stage, called 88FM)
a TV station on UHF channel E29 (US channel 25) broadcasting in NTSC (thus requiring a multistandard set for German viewers) with a low-power transmitter limited to southwestern Berlin

Until November 23, 1978, the AM frequency was 935 kHz. Due to the agreements in the Geneva Frequency Plan the frequency was changed to 1107 kHz.

On July 15, 1994, AFN Berlin broadcast a 3-hour special broadcast on both radio frequencies, which was transmitted live into 54 countries. Afterwards, seconds before 14:00, AFN Berlin ceased transmitting after playing a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" performed by William Rivelli.

History

On July 17, 1945, several GIs reached Berlin with their jeep and the order to set up a radio station within 17 days. They were followed by two trucks with a mobile transmitter, which were stationed not far from the future location of the transmitter. A 250-watt transmitter served listeners within a radius of just two miles.^[1] Stationary broadcasting began on August 4, 1945 at 12 p.m. with George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue from a confiscated villa at Podbielskiallee 28. The Rhapsody was immediately followed by a song mocking Adolf Hitler (Right in the Fuehrer’s Face). The first announcer and program director at the new station was Sergeant Mel Gelliart, who brought radio experience from the station WLS in Chicago.^[2] One of the events of the beginning of the year was that AFN's jeep was stolen on October 13, 1945 from the door of the studios on Podbielskiallee.^[3]

On April 17, 1967, AFN Berlin started television broadcasts in black and white. The station's first manager was 1st Lt. Rallin J. Aars., who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at 11am that day; broadcasts started at 5pm. The station was carried from Dahlem-Zehlendorf on UHF channel 25 with an additional relay at Tempelhof Airport on channel 12. Due to differences in standards used, German receivers had to be modified in order to receive the sound from these broadcasts.^[4]

The first color broadcasts were held in February 1977 in the NTSC standard.^[5]

Productions

Radio (88FM)

Musical programs:

An early morning show, host unknown, in late 1950s, (Mon–Fri - 7 am–8 am); theme song: an abbreviated version of: "s'Wonderful" by Ray Conniff.
Before noon show, hosted by Mark Marcus, in late 1950s, (Mon–Fri 11am-noon), popular music
Early afternoon: host unknown, weekdays 1 pm–2 pm, country & western music.
Frolic at Five, host Georg Hudak early to mid 1950s and later unknown host, mid 1950s, (Mon-Fri - 5 pm–6 pm); theme song: "9:20 Special" recorded May 30, 1945 by Harry James.
Music in the Air, host unknown, late 1950s, (weekdays 7 pm–8 pm), light music.
Frolic at Jazz, host unknown, (Saturdays 6 pm–7 pm); Theme tune: "Skinned & Skinned Again" by Woody Herman.
The Juice
Disco
Special live broadcasts from the German-American Volksfest at the Hüttenweg in Berlin-Dahlem and from the Day of Open House at the Tempelhof Central Airport (TCA)
An Afternoon Show (Mon-Fri)

Television

The evening TV news set at AFN Berlin in 1982 with (L-R) David Sullivan (sports), Loretta Nosworthy (weather), Cambria Pendleton (co-anchor) and Kyle King (main anchor). Photo slides from the AP and UPI news agencies were keyed electronically on the blue background.

Berlin Tonight (daily news)
Berlin PM (interview show)
Berlin Tonight Late Edition (late news)
Discover Berlin (trailers of Berlin sights)
The Berlin Ramblers (30-minute live country music show, 1968 one Saturday afternoon monthly)
Berlin Midday
Snowball Satellite (Christmas)
P.L.P.'s Workshop (children's show Saturday mornings)
Forum (news magazine)
Get it Together (TV quiz show)
. Berlin Sports Roundup (Weekly Sports program hosted by SP4 Jim Rose 73–75)

People of AFN Berlin

Radio

Maj. Phillip R. Pierce OIC AFN Berlin 1986–1989
David MacDonald
Jacques Bannamon
Jay Juliano
Fred Cochran
Rik DeLisle
Jo Eager
Eric Engbretson
Rebecca Easley
Lee Heft
Maj. Jack Maloney (station commander 1960 -1963)
Mark White (programming)
Dick Rosse (news)
George Hudak (Frolic At Five)
Bob Lewis
Mitch Farrell
Ken McGyver
Jim Stutzman "(American Music Hall)", "(Weekend World)"
Ralph Stinson
Jean Vavrin (cooking show "What's Cooking")
Joey Welzant (engineer)
Mike Marshall
Howie Schwartz
Jan Wood
Ted Shrady
Steve Kostelac
Magnificent Magoo (Jim McCauley)
Bob Selleck
Dan Simmons
Tom Tucker
Hank Minitrez
Bill Gaylord
Paul Dandridge (until Sept. 1968)
Terence Rousseau
Bob Woodley
Paul Ramirez
Brian Hart (news)
Patrick McGuire
Vicki Washington
Keya Newman
Christina Leaird
Gage Mace
Jim Cyr
Danette Rodesky
Jerry Cormier
Jeanine Kabrich
Mike Niederer
Larry Sem
Joel O'Brien
Jay Brady
Mike Piper (news)
Denis Sloan
Rick Himot
John Proffitt
Ed Tooma
Jim Kane
Ed Poston (news)
Edward Theodore Faircloth
Gail Anderson
Art Mehring
Henry Michael (Ogrodzinski)
Paul Markey (intern)

TV

David MacDonald
Jacques Bannamon
Rebecca Easley
Hank Minitrez
Dan Quakkelaar
Bob Selleck
Bill Gaylord
Terence Rousseau
Brian Hart
Patrick McGuire
Vicki Washington
Keya Newman
Christina Leaird
Jim Cyr
Bob Woodley
Paul Ramirez
Peter Dolle
Kyle King
Danette Rodesky
Jerry Cormier
Dave Shepard
Jeanine Kabrich
Dave Sullivan
Tom Hoban
Bill Bright
Vince Turella
Debbie Frantz
Joel O'Brien
Susan Ward
Mike Nussbaumer
Dave Dudding
Dave Jimanez
Mike Pernatozzi
John Rees
Bruce Dortin
Rick Saltzman
Ron Grabert
Jim Mauzy
Jim Wright
Kip Rummel
Capt John Orton (OIC July 1973 - July 1976)
John O'Conner
Dennis Hannon
Don Browers
Wayne Boyles
Danny Gates
Al Scully
Mike Niederer
Peggy Foster
Barry Cantor
Gail Anderson
Barbara Beimly
Eldee McGill Jr
Paul Markey (Intern)
Chris Dancey (Intern)
Al Cunningham (NCOIC Studio Operation)
Russell Reed
Larry Wilson
Ralph Bremer
Jack Arnold
Linda Arnold
Lionel Cantu
Will Pratt
Rick Mack
Jinny Peek
Douglas Mitchell
Helga Lehmann
Rodney Copfer
Dexter Marquez
Raymond Cooley
Willie Green
Russ Clark
Fernando DeCosta
Antonio Zollicoffer
Jim Rose (Sports Director/Anchor 1973–75)

References

^ AFN Europe: 60 Years and counting. In: R & R AFN, Cable Satellite TV. Vol 35 July 2003 No. 7 P. 12
^ The OMGUS Observer Vol. 11. No. 23 from June 7, 1946
^ The Berlin Sentinel Vol 1 No. 4 from October 20, 1945
^ The Berlin Observer Vol 23 No. 15 April 14, 1967
^ The Berlin Observer Vol 33 No. 8 February 25, 1977

External links

52°27′00″N 13°16′30″E / 52.450°N 13.275°E / 52.450; 13.275 Last location of AFN Berlin

[1] AFN Europe: 60 Years and counting. In: R & R AFN, Cable Satellite TV. Vol 35 July 2003 No. 7 P. 12

[2] The OMGUS Observer Vol. 11. No. 23 from June 7, 1946

[3] The Berlin Sentinel Vol 1 No. 4 from October 20, 1945

[4] The Berlin Observer Vol 23 No. 15 April 14, 1967

[5] The Berlin Observer Vol 33 No. 8 February 25, 1977

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