AFN Berlin

AFN Berlin was a US military broadcast station located at Podbielskiallee 23 in Berlin-Dahlem. It started broadcasting at noon on August 4, 1945, with the Rhapsody in Blue from George Gershwin. The TV studio was located on Saargemünder Strasse, across from the Berlin Brigade Headquarters compound.

Station logo of AFN Berlin
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 mediumwave 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 districts of 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 U.S. national anthem performed by William Rivelli

Productions

Radio (88FM)

Musical Programs:

  • An Early Morning Show, host unknown, in late 1950s, (Mon-Fri - 7A-8A); Theme tune: an abbreviated version of: "s'Wonderful" by Ray Conniff.
  • Before Noon show, hosted by Mark Marcus, in late 1950s, (Mon-Fri 11A-Noon), Popular Music, Theme tune: ?
  • Early Afternoon: host unknown, weekdays 1P-2P(?), Country & Western music.
  • Frolic at Five, host Georg Hudak early to mid 1950s & later unknown host, mid 1950s, (Mon-Fri - 5pm-6pm); Theme tune: "9:20 Special" recorded May 30,1945 by Harry James.
  • Music in the Air, host unknown late 1950s, (Weekdays 7Pm-8pm), light music a'la Percy Faith.
  • Frolic at Jazz, host unknown, (Saturdays only 6P-7P); 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
  • 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)

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)
  • Mark White (Programming)(Rest in peace brother)
  • Dick Rosse (news)
  • George Hudak (Frolic At Five)
  • Bob Lewis
  • Mitch Farrell
  • Ken McGyver
  • Jim Stutzman
  • Ralph Stinson
  • Jean Vavrin (cooking show)
  • Joey Welzant (engineer)
  • Mike Marshall
  • 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
  • Henry Michael (Ogrodzinski )
  • Paul Markey (Intern)
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.

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 (Rest in peace brother.)
  • Vince Turella (Rest in peace brother.)
  • Debbie Frantz (Rest in peace sister.)
  • Joel O'Brien
  • Susan Ward
  • Mike Nussbaumer
  • Dave Dudding
  • Dave Jimanez
  • Mike Pernatozzi (Rest in peace brother.)
  • John Rees
  • Bruce Dortin (Rest in peace brother.)
  • Rick Saltzman
  • Ron Grabert
  • Jim Mauzy
  • Jim Wright
  • Kip Rummel
  • John Orton
  • John O'Conner
  • Dennis Hannon (Rest in peace brother.)
  • Don Browers
  • Wayne Boyles
  • Danny Gates (Rest in peace brother.)
  • Al Scully
  • Mike Niederer
  • Peggy Foster
  • Barry Cantor
  • Gail Anderson
  • Barbara Beimly
  • Eldee McGill Jr (Rest in Peace Brother)
  • Paul Markey (Intern)
  • Chris Dancey (Intern)
  • Al Cunningham (NCOIC Studio Operation)
  • Russell Reed
  • Larry Wilson
  • Ralph Bremer
  • Jack Arnold
  • Linda Arnold
  • Lionel Cantu
  • Rick Mack
  • Jinny Peek
  • Douglas Mitchell
  • Helga Lehmann
  • Rodney Copfer
  • Dexter Marquez
  • Raymond Cooley
  • Willie Green
  • Russ Clark
  • Fernando DeCosta

See also

52.450°N 13.275°E / 52.450; 13.275 Last location of AFN Berlin

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