American Forces Network The American Forces Network ( AFN ) is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service ( AFRTS , commonly pronounced " A - farts " ) for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide . The AFN worldwide radio and television broadcast network serves American service men and women , Department of Defense and other US government civilians and their families stationed at bases overseas , as well as U . S . Navy ships at sea . AFN broadcasts popular American radio and television programs from the major U . S . networks . It is sometimes referred to as the Armed Forces Network . AFRTS , American Forces Network and AFN are registered trademarks of the U . S . Department of Defense . Organization . The American Forces Network ( AFN ) is the operational arm of the American Forces Radio and Television Service ( AFRTS ) , an office of the Defense Media Activity ( DMA ) . AFN falls under the operational control of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs ( OASD - PA ) . Editorial control is by the Department of Defense , whereas the British Forces Broadcasting Service ( BFBS ) for example , is independent of the Ministry of Defence and the British armed forces . AFN employs military broadcasters as well as DoD civilians and contractors . Service personnel hold broadcasting occupational specialties for their military branch . Since 1997 , all of AFN ' s military personnel receive primary training at the Defense Information School ( DINFOS ) at Fort George G . Meade in Maryland . Prior to 1997 , DINFOS was located at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis , Indiana . In 1997 , Fort Benjamin Harrison was largely closed as a function of the 1991 Base Closure and Realignment Commission . Additional / Advanced training is also available at Fort George G . Meade . Some of AFN ' s broadcasters have previous commercial broadcasting experience prior to enlisting in the military , but it is not a prerequisite for enlistment in the military as a broadcaster . During their training , the broadcasters are taught to use state - of - the - art audio and visual editing equipment similar to their civilian counterparts . AFN management is located at DMA headquarters , Fort George G . Meade . Day - to - day AFN broadcast operations are conducted at the AFN Broadcast Center / Defense Media Center in Riverside , California , from where all global radio and television satellite feeds emanate . History . The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26 , 1942 , when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service ( AFRS ) . A television service was first introduced in 1954 with a " pilot " station at Limestone AFB , 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 ) . All of the Armed Forces broadcasting affiliates worldwide merged under the AFN banner on 1 January 1998 . On November 21 , 2000 , The American Forces Information Service directed a change of the AFRTS organizational title from Armed Forces Radio and Television Service back to American Forces Radio and Television Service . A timeline of the history of AFN is available online . Origins . KODK began broadcasting from the US Army base Fort Greely at Kodiak , Alaska prior to the actual inception of the AFRS . Ft Greeley was built to defend and was an integral part of the Kodiak Naval Air Station , sometimes called Naval Operating Base . Construction of both was underway in 1940 . The Naval Station and AFRS radio remained in operation , but Ft . Greely closed at the end of WWII . Years later the name Fort Greely was resurrected for the Big Delta ( near Delta Junction ) Army base . The small town of Kodiak , located 6 miles away , had no radio station , while Anchorage and Fairbanks . where Army and Army Air Force bases soon would be established had civilian radio stations . Thus KODK had a primary role to bring radio to the armed forces and civilians in the Kodiak area . The sign - off at KODK was the memorable " Goodnight Sweetheart " set to a stirring melody from List ' s Les Preludes . The station lived on to bring the first television to Kodiak . The first radio station began in Delta Jct , Alaska on what was then known as Ft . Greely . It was called KODK and was operated by on base personnel . In the years just preceding World War II there were several radio stations based in American military base s , 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 formal establishment of AFN , however , a station called " PCAN " began regular broadcast information service in the Panama Canal Zone , primarily for troops on jungle bivouac . The station , located at Fort Clayton , was later to become part of AFRS , first simply as " Armed Forces Network " located at Albrook Field . World War II . The U . S . Army began broadcasting from London during World War II , using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) . The first transmission to U . S . troops began at 5 : 45 p . m . on July 4 , 1943 and included less than five hours of recorded shows , a BBC News and sports broadcast . That day , Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U . S . Military broadcaster heard over the air . The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitter s to reach U . S . troops in the United Kingdom as they made preparations for the inevitable invasion of Nazi - occupied Europe . Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain ( transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power ) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried . Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe ( shortly after D - Day ) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe ( including Britain ) after dark . As D - Day approached , the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied 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 in London . Although the network ' s administrative headquarters remained in London , its operational headquarters soon moved to AFN Paris . As Allied forces continued to push German soldiers back into their homeland , AFN moved east as well . The liberation of most of Western Europe saw AFN stations serving the forces liberating Biarritz , Cannes , Le Havre , Marseille , Nice , Paris , and Reims . Post war contraction and expansion . On 10 July 1945 , the first AFN station in occupied Germany started broadcasting , the 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 ! " . General George S . Patton , commander of the 3rd Army , was furious with the opening as his army had taken control over Munich the previous night , and demanded that the responsible person be court - martial ed . On December 31 , 1945 , AFN London signed off the air , and in 1948 AFN closed all its stations in France . 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 . A large number of AFN stations continued broadcasting from American bases in Europe ( particularly Germany ) after World War II . ( Eight remain on - air today . See ) . During the Berlin Airlift , 1948 - 1949 , planes headed for Tempelhof in West Berlin tuned their radios to AFN - Berlin because the station ' s transmission tower was in the glidepath to the airfield and was not jammed by the Soviets . During the 1950s and 60 ' s civilian audiences in Europe widely listened to AFN , as American music was very popular but rarely played on most European broadcasting stations ( which at the time were largely state operated ) . This was particularly the case in Communist bloc countries , where ( despite the language barrier ) it was seen as an alternative way of maintaining contact with the west , and had the added bonus of not being subjected to radio jamming unlike such stations as Radio Free Europe which carried news in Eastern European languages . Especially popular was ' Music in the Air , ' which aired on the full European network at 19 : 00 CET . The host was the AFN - Frankfurt ( civilian ) manager , John Vrotsos , who had an especially warm baritone voice , and began each program after an introductory piano phrase from the theme , " Listen . . . [ pause for more piano ] . . . there ' s music in the air . " The theme was " Music Everywhere " in an arrangement by Victor Young . In France , about a dozen AFN stations operated , with AFN Orléans , equipped with studios , as the control station . The network broadcast music , shows , 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 Le Mans to report the 24 hours race , at a time when Ford was doing its best to beat the Ferraris , and finally succeeded . AFN France consisted in 50 watts , frequency modulated transmitters purchased from a French manufacturer ( TRT ) type OZ 305 . The network employed a technical director , a program director , several American broadcast professionals on military duty , and some French studio operators , record librarians , secretaries and maintenance technicians . The program was fed from AFN Orléans studios to the slave transmitters via modulation lines rented from the French postmaster . AFN France was dismantled in 1967 , when the US Forces left France , due to the French government ' s decision , under General DeGaulle , to withdraw its forces from the NATO ' s military command . The French employees were dismissed . They were granted a severance pay ( in French Francs and taxable ) of one month per year of service , paid by the US 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 AAA ) . Korean War . When war broke out in Korea , Army broadcasters set up in Seoul , 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 to Daegu , South Korea . Due to the large number of American troops in Korea , a number of stations were also 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 personality Jim 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 moving on to the University of Pennsylvania to advance his education . Iran . An AFRTS radio station , and later a television station , became operational in Tehran in the late 1950s . The office and the equipment were stationed in Saltanat - abad area of Tehran . Its listeners ( and viewers ) were American military personnel stationed in Iran as part of ARMISH and MAAG programs , as well as non - military Iranians and foreigners residing in Iran . The AFRTS ceased to operate on 25 October 1976 the day prior to the Shah ' s 57th birthday . Radio 1555 closed with presenter : Air Force Staff Sergeant Barry Cantor playing as the last record : Roger Whittaker ' s ' Durham Town ' ( The Leaving ) . This was followed by a closing announcement by Chief Master Sergeant and Station Manager : Bob Woodruff ( " After 22 years of audio broadcasting and 17 years of telecasting in Tehran , AFRTS Radio 1555 and TV Channel 7 cease all operations in this country at this time " ) . The station closed with the American National Anthem . On 26 October 1976 a new government owned International Service of National Iranian Radio & Television ( NIRT ) began . A new TV service began on Channel 5 and the new English - language radio service with two English and one American presenter , together with English and international news staff provided popular music and news ( in Persian , French , German , Russian and English ) for listeners of all nationalities in Tehran and throughout Iran . Vietnam . As the American military presence in Vietnam increased , AFRTS opened radio and later television stations there . AFRTS stations in Vietnam were initially known by the name " AFRS " ( Armed Forces Radio Saigon ) , but as the number of stations quickly expanded throughout South Vietnam became known as " AFVN " ( American Forces Vietnam Network ) and had several stations including Qui Nhơn , Nha Trang , Pleiku , Da Nang and Huế , the latter being overrun by the NVA in 1968 and replaced by a station in Quảng Trị . AFVN ' s headquarters station was located in Saigon . 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 over 500 , 000 fighting men and women at one time . AFVN developed a program along the lines of " G . I . Jive " from World War II . A number of local disc jockeys helped make hour - long 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 by Adrian Cronauer and later became the basis for the film " Good Morning Vietnam " starring Robin Williams ) . Among the notable people who were AFVN disc jockeys were Lee Hansen and Pat Sajak . 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 acronym ARS for American Radio Service . The civilian engineers were provided by Pacific Architects and Engineers [ PAE ] . ARS stayed on the air until the fall of Saigon in April 1975 . It famously played Irving Berlin ' s " White Christmas " as a signal for Americans to leave the city as the fall of Saigon approached . Thailand . In Thailand , 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 US Air Force with stations on the air at Korat , U - Tapao , Ubon , Udon , Tahkli , and Nahkon Phanom ( NKP ) . 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 in Laos . In April 1970 , a battle - damaged F - 4 Phantom II fighter - bomber , returning from a reconnaissance mission to survey a road being built by the Chinese toward Burma in northwest Laos , crashed into the AFTN station , killing nine of the Air Force broadcasters . This incident was the single worst catastrophe in the history of military broadcasting . AFTN became the American Forces Thailand Network in the summer of 1969 , and continued operations until the spring of 1976 when the remaining US 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 . The history of AFTN can be found at the www . aftn . net web site along with a memorial to the nine broadcasters who gave their lives in the service of their country . Taiwan . Prior to 1979 , the AFN branch in Taiwan was Armed Forces Network Radio Taiwan ( AFNRT ) , which had a main station in Yangmingshan American Military Housing , Taipei . After the US Armed Forces withdrew all its troops stationed in Taiwan ( including the United States Taiwan Defense Command ) , the station was reorganized under the name of International Community Radio Taipei ( ICRT ) by the American business community and the ROC government . Today , ICRT is the only English - language radio service in Taiwan . Caribbean . American Forces Radio and Television broadcast radio and television programming on Puerto Rico from Ramey Air Force Base and primarily from studios at U . S . Naval Station Roosevelt Roads ( now decommissioned ) as the American Forces Caribbean Network from the 1960s through the 1970s . Programming was also transmitted over a repeater transmitter located at San Juan . Central America . Radio , and later television , to U . S . troops stationed in the Panama Canal Zone was provided initially by Armed Forces Radio ( AFN ) at Albrook Field and later as the Caribbean Forces Network at Fort Clayton with translators located 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 in Honduras starting in 1987 . SCN discontinued broadcasting in 1999 just before the turnover of the Canal Zone to the Republic of Panama when U . S . troops were removed from that country pursuant to the Torrijos - Carter Treaties . AFN Honduras , which began in 1987 as SCN Honduras , currently broadcasts from Soto Cano Air Base on 106 . 5 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 January 15 , 2013 , AFN Honduras is one of 18 stations under the operational control of AFN Europe . Shortwave Radio . With the advent of satellite broadcasting , AFRTS has shifted its emphasis away from shortwave . Currently , the U . S . Navy provides the only shortwave single sideband shortwave AFN radio broadcasts via relay sites around the world to provide service to ships , including Diego Garcia , Guam , Sigonella in Italy , Puerto Rico , Hawaii , and others . AFN Television Services . European operations . Until the early 1970s , U . S . military television service was provided in Central Europe by Air Force Television at Ramstein Air Base , Germany . In the early 1970s , AFN assumed this responsibility for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service ( AFRTS ) . On October 28 , 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 in Würzburg , Germany , and Soesterberg , the Netherlands . In 2004 , AFN Europe headquarters relocated to Coleman Barracks in Mannheim , Germany . Pacific operations . Over - the - air TV for U . S . Forces in the Pacific is currently provided by AFN - Korea , AFN - Japan and AFN - Kwajalein . All local operations merged under the AFN banner effective January 1 , 1998 . Korea . 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 September 15 , 1957 , and consisted of an originating studio at Yongsan Garrison , Seoul , and six relay transmitters throughout the peninsula . AFKN ' s first live television newscast aired on January 4 , 1959 . Until December 2007 , the channel was widely available to non - military audiences on cable television , but following complaints from US companies trying to sell programs in South Korea , USFK requested that the Korean Broadcasting Commission direct the removal of Pacific Prime from the Korean cable lineups . American Forces Network - Korea discontinued analog over - the - air TV broadcast May 1 , 2012 , due to request from the Korean government since many local residents could receive current over - the - air U . S . network programming , resulting in decreased sales of U . S . programs to Korean stations . ( More details ( PDF ) ) Japan . AFN - Japan , formerly the Far East Network ( FEN ) , has one full - power VHF terrestrial TV outlet . Located on Okinawa atop the Rycom Plaza Housing area in the central part of the island , AFN - Okinawa ' s ( U . S . channel 8 ) TV signal serves Marines , Airmen , Sailors , Soldiers , and their families stationed on - island . AFN - Japan also operates three low - power UHF terrestrial transmitters at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni , Commander U . S Fleet Activities Sasebo , and Misawa Air Base . TV viewers on military bases in the Tokyo and Kanto Plain area of Japan can view AFN via contractor - operated base cable TV services , or through AFN Direct - To - Home ( DTH ) dishes if they reside off - base . AFN - Japan ' s radio services consist of AM and FM stereo operations at Yokota 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 ) . Kwajalein Atoll . AFN - Kwajalein at the Reagan Missile Test Range on Kwajalein 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 atoll of Roi 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 . In January 1991 , the network dispatched news teams and technicians to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . These broadcasters reported to families of soldiers deployed from Europe , and staffed a number of the 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 by The Clash . Operation Iraqi Freedom . AFN - Iraq began broadcasting in December 2003 on the FM band shortly after the fall of Saddam . The first song on the air was " Freedom " by Paul McCartney . Within a short period of 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 very first unit to operate the station was the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment , an Army Reserve unit out of Southern California . " " Always There and On The Air " " was the phrase that started it all , even though there were only 8 hours of live radio to kick things off . After an introduction from Lt . 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 were " Niki Cage in the morning " and " Abbey in the Afternoon " . Operation Enduring Freedom . AFN Afghanistan operates out of a building on Bagram Air Base . Its radio frequency throughout Afghanistan is 94 . 1 and 97 . 1 in Manas and produces live local shows . Its first radio transmission was at 0630 on Friday , July 21 , 2006 . Beyond radio AFN Afghanistan also does television news . It produces a daily 5 minute newscast which is called Freedom Watch Afghanistan and airs on the Pentagon Channel . The station is typically staffed with Air Force broadcasters but also slots Army , Navy and Marine broadcasters as well . For support there is usually a four - man team of engineers to handle all transmission , decoder , and satellite issues . Operations in Western Europe . AFN in Germany and SEB ( Southern European Broadcasting ) in Italy provided broadcasting to U . S . troops in Western Europe throughout the Cold War . The U . S . defense drawdown began in earnest after the Gulf War , and impacted AFN stations across Europe , as many stations were consolidated or deactivated with the closing of bases . In Europe , AFN is still on the air from Tuzla , Bosnia and Taszár , Hungary to inform and entertain U . S . forces . AFN went on the air May 29 with service at the Tirana airport in Albania with satellite decoders and large screen televisions placed in high traffic areas . At the same time , the AFN also advanced into the Yugoslav province of Kosovo along with NATO . AFN viewers abroad witnessed live television coverage of the terrorist attacks on The Pentagon and World Trade Center on September 11 , 2001 . During military operations in Afghanistan 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 2003 ) . Wherever large numbers of US troops are deployed , the AFN sets up operation , providing news and entertainment from home . Today AFN has several satellites and uses advanced digital compression technology to broadcast TV and radio to 177 countries and territories , as well as on board U . S . Navy vessels . Media services . Plans for transitioning AFN TV to high definition ( HD ) in phases have been ongoing with an estimated completion time frame of 2015 - 2017 . So far , AFN has added one HD channel with more being planned . However , HD is an expensive project , so timelines and actual transition of channels is highly dependent on availability of funds . With the additional DoD budget cuts looming , this project could easily be required to slip . However , AFN is continuing to research more efficient delivery methods in hopes of continuing along the planned path . AFN ' s television service is broadcast in standard North American NTSC format of 525 lines . All programming delivered by satellite is PowerVu encrypted DVB . While programming is provided to AFN by major American TV networks and program syndicators at little to no - cost , for copyright and licensing 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 ) or terrestrial signal . The advent of DTH service coincides with the phasing - out of AFN terrestrial TV broadcasts due to reclamation of frequencies by host nations . AFN programming . 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 servicemembers to register to vote , promoting local command - sponsored recreation events & off - duty educational programs , providing health and wellness tips , and listing what ' s playing at local base movie theaters . AFN also inserts public service announcements from the Ad 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 the Super 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 at myafn . net . Radio . AFN also offers a variety of radio programming over its various frequencies throughout the world . Not only is there local programming ( with military disc jockeys ) , but there is satellite programming , as well . Music programming spans Classic Rock , Rhythmic R & B , Jack FM , and country music . Ryan Seacrest ' s " AT 40 " , " The Rick Dees ' Weekly Top 40 " and the " American Country Countdown " with Kix Brooks are broadcast weekly over AFN Radio . In addition to music , AFN broadcasts syndicated talk radio programs such as " Car Talk " , " The Bob and Sheri Show " , " Kidd Kraddick in the Morning " , " Kim Komando " , " The Rush Limbaugh Show " , " The Motley Fool Radio Show " , " A Prairie Home Companion " , " Doug Stephan " , " Titillating Sports with Rick Tittle " , " Sports Overnight America " , and other programs from a variety of sources . Weekly religious programming is offered to AFN stations via closed - circuit . On December 5 , 2005 , liberal / progressive Ed Schultz and conservative talk show host Sean Hannity were added to the radio programs provided by the AFN Broadcast Center to its affiliate stations . Liberal Alan Colmes rounds out the political talk lineup on The Voice channel . On April 24 , 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 CHR flavor . When the Eagle was launched AFN Europe took control of what local DJs could play . Altogether , AFN produces 10 general - use streams for AFN stations to use . Of these , five are music - based , two are sports - based , and three general news / talk channels , including The Voice , which features live play - by - play of American sports ( it ' s also the one heard on shortwave , if the shortwave radio has Single sideband ( also known as SSB ) installed ) . How these stations use these formats is up to them . These formats are : Television . 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 regards cannot profit from airing shows like stations in the U . S . can . In their place , AFN inserts public service announcements on various subjects ; these can be civilian " agency spots " created by The Ad Council , nationally - recognized religious and public health charities , AFN ' s own " command information " spots produced by the AFRTS Radio - Television Production Office ( RTPO ) , or announcements by a regional / local AFN affiliate . The most common PSAs shown deal with sexual harassment , public health and safety , force protection / anti - terrorism , pride in service , and messages to the troops . AFN produces and broadcasts eight core satellite television channels in NTSC color . They are accessible to both military and foreign service personnel abroad . All 8 feeds 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 but more widespread naval broadcast . Channels . Unless specified , the first telecast of each channel targets the Japan / Korea region , then replayed several hours later for the Central European time zone . Frequencies and transmitters . Germany . Table of AFN - transmitters in Germany . Table may be incorrect and incomplete . Please correct and expand if necessary . FM . The AFN transmitters in Germany are operated by different authorities but most are operated directly by the U . S . military . Some are the property of Deutsche Telekom , while others are controlled by German public broadcasting corporations . Kingdom of Saudi Arabia . Table of AFN - transmitters in Saudi Arabia . Table may be incorrect and incomplete . Please correct and expand if necessary . FM . The AFN FM Transmitters in Saudi Arabia is managed by two authorities , the U . S . military and Saudi Aramco . Iraq - " " Freedom Radio " " . [ " All Freedom Radio - Iraq stations went off the air on September 30 , 2011 as a result of the continuing draw - down of U . S . Military personnel . Listing remains to document the coverage of Iraq . ] " Spain . Radio : AFN Rota Radio - The Eagle SHAPE ( Belgium ) . Television : AFN Prime Atlantic / AFN Benelux ( NTSC ) Radio : AFN Benelux AFN Benelux - The Eagle South Korea . Television . NOTE : All over - the - air television broadcasts in South Korea ended in May 2012 . The following are previous stations . FM Radio ( AFN Eagle ) . resource : Shortwave ( USB ) . See : AFN Shortwave Frequencies