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AFN - AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK

See the list of AFN Frequencies

The American Forces Network Europe provides that "touch of home" with multiple radio and television service to military members, civilians and family members in the U.S. European Command. AFNE, headquartered in Mannheim, serves U.S. forces stationed in Europe, the Middle East, Persian Gulf and many of the countries that have evolved from the former Soviet bloc.

The Defense Media Center at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California obtains the commercial material broadcast by the network. This includes most of the top rated U.S. television shows, most major sporting events, many syndicated radio programs and current U.S. hit music.

The Media Center sends all these radio and television programs via satellite to Europe, where they are decoded and piped via cable to on-post locations. People who don't live on post can still get the programs. A decoder for this purpose costs about $235, or can be rented for $13 a month. Off-post dwellers will also need a satellite dish, costing about $100. Check with the AAFES Power Zones or the Navy Exchange

Television. There is only one AFN television signal that's transmitted over-the-air, AFN Prime. But it provides the best from all the commercial networks and production companies. AFN Prime is also on the cable and satellite. On average, AFN Television broadcasts nine of the top ten U.S. television programs, plus news and documentaries from the states. Most major U.S. sporting events are broadcast as well.

In Europe, people with decoders and most people watching AFN via cable can watch the following AFN-TV services:

• AFN Sports (Channel 1). Expanded coverage of sporting events including ESPN's SportsCenter.
• AFN Prime Atlantic (Channel 2). This is the primary signal here, the one that is also available over the air. Programing includes news, current sitcoms, dramas, popular soap operas, syndicated "judge" shows, talk shows, game shows and reality shows.
• AFN Spectrum (Channel 3). Programing for persons 18 and over, to incllude movies, the best of public broadcasting, Arts and Entertainment, Discovery Channel and the History Channel, as well as classic series and cartoons.
• AFN Prime Pacific (Channel 4). For people stationed in the Pacific. Same programming as AFN Prime Atlantic, but eight hours earlier. Good for people whose work schedule prevents their watching their favorite prime time shows.
• AFN News (Channel 5). Expanded coverage with round-the-clock stateside news programs, including the morning shows and nightly newscasts of the major networks, hourly newscasts and personalities like Larry King and Bill O'Reilly.
• AFN Xtra (Channel 6). A youth-oriented channel, with shows from Comedy Central, MTV and more.
• AFN Program Guide (Channel 7). Tells you what's currently playing on the other channels.
• Pentagon Channel (Channel 8). Your 24/7 source for Defense Department news programs, press conferences and major Defense Department briefings on subjects impacting the troops. This is the only AFN channel that is available in the USA to the general public.
• AFN Family (Channel 9). Programs reflecting traditional values with particular attention given to ages 2-17.
• AFN Movie (Channel 10). A wide variety of movies, complemented by specials that take the viewer behind the scenes of the entertainment industry.
• AFN Prime Freedom (Channel 26). For people deployed to the Middle East. Same programming as AFN Prime Atlantic, but two hours earlier.

There are no fewer than 37 more channels on the satellite and cable, and AFN makes interesting use of them. Each of AFN Europe's affiliate TV stations has its own channel. Most of the programing on them is just a repeat of what you can also see on AFN Prime, Channel 2, but each of them breaks away at times for local news and spot announcements. There are also many audio channels on the satellite. You can get AFN's radio affiliates, plus NPR, sports and wall-to-wall music. Your screen usually shows the AFN Program Guide from Channel 7 while the audio programs are in progress.

These are the video channels for the affiliates: Wuerzburg (11), Aviano (12) , Hessen (13), Vicenza (14), Heidelberg (15), La Maddalena (16), Bavaria (17), Naples (18), Kaiserslautern (19) and Sigonella (20).

Channels for the audio stations are: Bavaria The Eagle (38), Iraq Radio (40), Vicenza The Eagle (41), Vicenza PowerNet (42), Hessen The Eagle (132), Hessen PowerNet (133) and Heidelberg The Eagle (152).

Music lovers will find Country on 22, Adult Rock on 23, Pure Gold on 28 and Hard Rock on 30. Sport fans can hear ESPN Radio on 31 and Fox Sports Talk on 32, while he full NPR program is on 24.

The TKS cable company provides the AFN signal, and a great deal of other English-language TV, to military housing areas. These include four entertainment channels, three sport channels, three news channels, three music channels, three documentary channels, two home & garden channels, a dedicated movie channel, a cartoon channel and an erotic channel. It also has a channel in Spanish and 14 in German.

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Radio

AFN offers two radio networks: the Power Network and the Eagle. The Power Network provides information, news and sports programming around the clock in most U.S. European Command locations, while the Eagle is music-based with local information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Power Network broadcasts hourly newscasts and syndicated talk radio programs such as Paul Harvey, Car Talk, Kim Komando, Talk of the Nation, A Prairie Home Companion, Dr. Laura Schlessinger Justice Talking and other programs from National Public Radio and other sources. It also presents political talk shows, with Rush Limbaugh on the conservative side and Ed Schultz presenting the liberal viewpoint.

Eagle Radio's format is modeled after the "Jack FM" broadcasts in the states. These play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. It also breaks away from time to time so that the regional stations can present local news, traffic and weather information.

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AFN Europe Contact Information

AFN Europe is also worldwide with European Command news stories and other U.S. military news and information at: http://www.afneurope.net

The AFRTS website is http://www.myafn.net

The network maintains a telephone trouble number for radio and television service disruption. If you have lost AFN service, call DSN 389-4444 or Germany commercial 0621-460 854444.

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American Forces Network Frequencies