AFN Family

AFN Family is an American-based international family-oriented television channel that airs (mostly repeats of) many children’s and family-targeted television programs and movies, including those of Nickelodeon and is programmed at the AFN Broadcast Center in Riverdale, California. A "sister" channel to the American Forces Network, otherwise shortened to AFN (and historically known as "AFRTS" - an acronym for the "American Forces Radio and Television Service", dating back earlier when it was launched in a radio format as the "Armed Forces Network"), AFN Family along with the rest of the AFN service - is operated by the Defense Media Activity program, which in turn is operated by the United States Department of Defense. The channel's lineup consist of a variety of programs, many in repeats - including preschool shows, animated cartoons, live-action sitcoms, and other family-oriented television programs, along with delayed television premieres and repeats of older and theatrical-released movies. Since 2013, the channel has also aired it's programming along sides an overnight block tilted AFN Pulse, airing programs targeted to teens and young adults. Because of this, the channel currently runs from 05:00 to 19:00 (5 AM to 7 PM) CET, the time zone AFN uses in reference to the channel's airing timeslot.https://youtu.be/pLPilUF_i-4?t=41s (archived link will be added after permission receved from recorder) 
The AFN Family channel, which was launched on September 3rd 2004https://web.archive.org/web/20040827234825/http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/tv/press_releases/bulletin.asp?id=247&pg=\bulletin\FamMovUpdate.htm, is a part of a multiplex network featuring seven other channels covering entertainment, drama programs, comedy programs, national American prime-time television shows (such as NCIS and Law and Order), documentaries and lifestyle programming, sports and live sporting events, live and pre-recorded news, and (mostly) PG-13 and R-rated movies. As with most US Military services, AFN is designed to ”compete” with most American television networks by using comparative branding, akin to the packaging of many private label products sold in supermarkets, which, in that example - generally is intended to copy or mimic the packaging of the national brand. In other words, AFN’s networks use comparative branding by being custom branded to look like or appear similar to their American or state-side counterparts. Furthermore, AFN's main purpose is to provide programs from US cable networks (like Nickelodeon), and other national networks, and then to rebroadcast those programs for US troops and their families overseas via a satellite network. In some areas, it is the only way state-side troops can receive American-produced news programming or any type of television or radio content for that matter in their service region, such as within the Scott-Andersen South Pole Research Station - located in Antarctica. It has been airing most, not if all of Nickelodeon’s (and several, in its past, Nick at Nite,) programs produced since the mid 80's or very early 90's. AFN stands for American/Armed Forces Network and is the current branding used for a vast collection of television and radio networks owned or affiliated with the US Military. 
More general information about AFN can be found on the Fandom Military Wiki. 
== History ==
AFN's history can be traced back to the 1940s, being found by the US Department of War (currently the United States Department of Defense) as a radio service known as the "Armed Forces Network" for US military troops to help then gain access to American programming starting in Alaska. A television service was launched in 1954. Starting in June of 1945, notoriously, AFN's first Germany service was launched. The networks were famous for servicing US Military troops by providing them with state-side programs during war times during the 1940s into the 1970s, such as World War II and the Korean War.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network#World_War_IIArchived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230506193619/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network
=== Before AFN Kids ===
Starting in the mid-1960s, AFN began to air children's programs. Delayed reruns of programs such as Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and Romper Room, were aired sporadically during the morning and early afternoon. Children’s programs may have also been branded or referenced in program schedules during this time as For Children and For Young People. Color was added in 1975.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network#Television_servicesArchived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230506193619/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network During these programs, short local newscasts, "command spots" and public service announcements were played in place of commercials. This practice was mainly used from the 1970s to the 1990s. Beginning in the early 1990s, AFN began to brand its children's shows under the name Just For Kids!, as shown in thisArchived: https://archive.org/details/videoplayback_20230510_2039 bumper from 1992. Later, AFN added more shows to their children’s programming block, later leading to the rebranding of Just for Kids! as AFN Kids. It is currently unknown when AFN rebranded it's children's programming under the "AFN Kids" brand.
=== Nick at Nite programs ===
thumb|Commercial bumpers and promos seen during a December 1999 broadcast of "Flashback TV" on AFN Spectrum. Bumpers shown reference and show clips from various older Nick at Nite programs.|253x253px|left
Several of Nick at Nite’s non-original classic TV programs shown during the block’s early days, such as The Andy Griffin Show and I Love Lucy were also shown on AFN networks. When broadcasted on AFN, the network used "evergreen", syndication package or unbranded versions of these programs acquired straight from the distributor or production company of that series and not through Nickelodeon; as such AFN broadcasts of these programs were not aired with Nickelodeon or Nick at Nite branding. Starting in December of 1999, these shows would air as apart of AFN Spectrum’s Flashback TV retro programming block. Flashback TV would be shown on the AFN Spectrum channel and would feature (for the time) classic live-action and animated programs, such as the ones mentioned above, and other programs such as those from Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera. The block would be discontinued by the mid 2000s. A few Nick at Nite series would later be shown on the AFN Family network (such as The Cosby Show,) in late night timeslots,https://web.archive.org/web/20130221181208/http://www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/Hourglass/issues-archived/04Issues/hourglass12_03_04.pdf however, reruns of them were later removed.
=== AFN Kids (Mid 1990s-September, 3, 2004) ===
thumb|250px|An example of the kind for "breaks" used on AFN Kids broadcasts of its programs. Recorded in 2001 from an episode of Rugrats.|left
Before AFN Family was launched, AFN offered a weekly block of children's series for it's stations to air called AFN Kids. It was also shown on AFN's national feeds. In addition to programs, the block also featured public service announcements, bumpers, and promotional spots in favor of showing commercial advertising. It also, from time to time featured classic movies and specials. Programs featured on the block were targeted to children aged 3 to 12. 
Family-orientated programs (at the time) were aired in evening time slots on the main AFN channel, which is currently known as AFN Prime. These programs were moved to AFN Family when it launched in 2004. Children's programs continued to air on the network until 2006, (and longer on AFN Prime Freedom, a former variant of the AFN Prime channel for those in the Middle East that was discontinued by 2013). After that point, most of the children's shows that were ran on AFN Kids and it's branding was discontinued in favor of more daytime programs, game shows, and soap operas taking up its time-slot on AFN Prime.
=== AFN Family (September, 3, 2004-present) ===
AFN Family was launched in 2004, and featured programs from the AFN Kids block, (with several promotional bumpers still being kept intacthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhXWbRrWKK0&t=3sArchived: https://archive.org/details/afn-family-kids-ads-2008-480p, ) along with newer programs. A now-defunct website was also launched. Several new bumpers and promos featuring clips from the network's shows were also produced. Programs included those from Nickelodeon and other networks and companies. 
In 2011, two weekend cartoon blocks entitled ”Sunday Funtoons!”, featuring cartoon and animated programs, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, and Back at the Barnyard, and ”Super Charged Saturday”, featuring more action-based programs for older children, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, were added to weekend time slots. These blocks, especially "Super Charged Saturday", continued to air into 2016https://youtu.be/GWZkLwEc_q4?t=893Archived: https://archive.org/details/afn-family-continuity-29-june-2016-1080p-remaster. "Sunday Funtoons!" was renamed to "Fun Toon Sundays" by 2016https://youtu.be/GWZkLwEc_q4?t=1367Archived: https://archive.org/details/afn-family-continuity-29-june-2016-1080p-remaster and continues to be in usehttps://youtu.be/EXS25syH7EU?si=_-w0_Wyz67u_3iDf&t=19 (archived link coming soon) along with the "Super Charged Saturday" branding as of 2023https://youtu.be/EXS25syH7EU?si=HqGINEM8aIOHM7a5&t=212 (archived link coming soon). 
left|thumb|A selection of promotional spots and bumpers from AFN Family's branding that was used from 2004 to 2012.In 2013, an overnight block called AFN Pulse was added, running during AFN Family's evening time slot airing programs from several lifestyle and culture-oriented US cable channels, (such as Bravo and TLC,) targeted to teenagers and young adultshttps://myafn.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/afnfamily-primetime-gets-a-new-name/ Archived: http://web.archive.org/web/20230508222242/https://myafn.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/afnfamily-primetime-gets-a-new-name/. It is currently unknown what, or if any Nickelodeon sitcoms or programs have aired on the block.
Later in 2017, high definition was added to the channel's feed,https://www.stripes.com/news/afn-to-go-high-definition-by-end-of-year-after-years-of-delay-1.460902#:~:text=The%20American%20Forces%20Radio%20and%20Television%20Service%2C%20AFN%E2%80%99s,and%20we%E2%80%99ve%20been%20working%20this%20for%20a%20while.%E2%80%9DArchived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230508205405/https://www.stripes.com/news/afn-to-go-high-definition-by-end-of-year-after-years-of-delay-1.460902 (and to AFN in general) along with a new bumper repackage, as AFN celebrated its 75th year anniversary.https://okinawa.stripes.com/community-news/stories-behind-afns-75-year-connection-troopsArchived: http://web.archive.org/web/20230508205004/https://okinawa.stripes.com/community-news/stories-behind-afns-75-year-connection-troops
== Availability and Broadcast ==
AFN Family is distributed for troops’ viewing through military base cable systems and is attainable over satellite with an authorized decoder.https://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx#?c=32Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20200404082125/http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx The channel is not broadcasted in North America.https://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/armed-forces-network-afn.226899/Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20170514181443/https://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/armed-forces-network-afn.226899/
Even though is not owned by Nickelodeon or Paramount, AFN is connected to Nickelodeon in a way as it reruns and serves as another international outlet to premiere its programs. AFN's programs are usually offered for free or at a low cost, however with the consequence of new episodes of these programs airing on a time delay from 24 hours to 6 months. A notable factor of AFN is that it has never (nationally) produced any original series, (outside of locally produced news and weathercasts on local AFN networks, however, these have come less present as AFN reworked its overseas networks into national AFN branding since 1997). 
AFN is not allowed to air paid commercialshttps://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx#?c=19Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230105160241/https://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx due to its ownership by the US Military. Programs are either aired in an "evergreen", syndication package or standard format without any branding or repeat or live broadcasts are edited to remove network bumpers, promo spots, or advertising for AFN broadcasts (or "rebroadcasted", as AFN terms it) on AFN Family, or any AFN networkhttps://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx#?c=19 
Termed by the network as, "AFN is a non-commercial network and our agreements with our programming suppliers and distributors require AFN to remove spots from the programming stream. Additionally, commercials produced in the United States for the stateside audience are not licensed for distribution outside of the USA. AFN is also required to follow guidance in DoD 5500.07-R, the Joint Ethics Regulation, which prohibits endorsement of non-Federal entities."
Archived: https://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/Faq.aspx#?c=19 (under "Why Doesn't AFN Air Stateside Commercials?") . In place of commercials and the networks’ bumpers and promotional spots, (AFN produces their own by custom branding other stations' own promos and bumpers,) a variety of clips and promos of/for other programs on the channel, music videos, "command spots", public service announcements produced for US Military personal which have generally exclusively been shown on AFN only, general public service announcementshttps://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/RepeatingAd/PublicServiceAnnouncementArchived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230306232808/https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/RepeatingAd/PublicServiceAnnouncement, including those seen on American television, other spots and time filler material is shown. AFN currently has about 60 radio stations, and about 30 over-the-air television stations that services mostly European and Asian countries. 
== Programs ==
thumb|250px|A newer promo for the network's lineup, produced in April 2019.When AFN Family was launched, programs aired in a format that ”aged” throughout the day. The same "aging" format continues to be used, with programs targeting preschoolers airing during the mornings, then showing programs more intended for older children and their families during the afternoon and early evening before "switching over" to AFN Pulse during the later evening, akin to the current schedule of the Nickelodeon channel and several of it's international counterparts, scheduling the Nick Jr. block to air in the morning, animated programs in the afternoon, live-action programs in the early evening, and broadcasting the Nick at Nite block in the evening and into the overnight hours. On the AFN Family channel, a similar lineup is used on weekends, with fewer preschool programs, along with repeats of cartoons, educational E/I programs, and then (mostly) live-action programs, and movies to fill the remainder of the channel's broadcast schedule for that day. The channel also plays a 1-hour block of children's religious programs on Sunday mornings. 
A number of Nickelodeon programs have been seen on the channel in repeats long after they've ceased airing on Nickelodeon itself, along with it's sister channels - Nick Jr, Nicktoons, and TeenNick and/or are no longer broadcasted on mainstream children's television networks in the United States, such as Blue's Clues, The Barbarian and the Troll, Bunsen Is a Beast, Play with Me Sesame, Fanboy & Chum Chum, (whose, according to Nickstory - last reported Nickelodeon broadcast was on March, 22, 2015https://nickstory.fandom.com/wiki/March_22,_2015Archived:http://web.archive.org/web/20230508204854/https://nickstory.fandom.com/wiki/March_22,_2015), and Go, Diego, Go!. Several of which, such as Nelvana's "6teen" , who originally premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005 - have been seen in repeats on the network since the series ended in 2010. 
The network's lineup also features time-delayed premieres of new programs and episodes of those programs, such as Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bossy Bear, The Loud House, and SpongeBob SquarePants, generally acquired straight from Nickelodeon with the network's branding on AFN's broadcasts. Later repeats of these episodes are generally shown without the Nickelodeon branding. 
=== Current Nickelodeon (USA) programs include: ===
(Bolded programs are currently also aired on Nickelodeon.)
Current Nickelodeon (USA) programs include:
Nick Jr. (preschool) programs 	Live-action Nick programs 	Nicktoons (animated) programs 	Other programs & interstitial programs
Blaze and the Monster Machines	The Barbarian and the Troll	Breadwinners 	Mighty Bug 5 (currently unknown)
Bossy Bear 	That Girl Lay Lay 	Bunsen Is a Beast 	Kuu Kuu Harajuku
Blue's Clues 	Tooned In 	The Casagrandes (premiered in March 2020)	Play with Me Sesame
Blue's Clues & You! 	Tyler Perry's Young Dylan 	The Fairly OddParents 	
Bubble Guppies 	 	The Loud House 	
HobbyKids Adventures 	 	 	
Dora the Explorer 	 	 	
Middlemost Post 	 	 	
Go, Diego, Go! 	 	SpongeBob SquarePants 	
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan 	 	 	
PAW Patrol 	 	 	
Team Umizoomi 	 	 	
==== Formerly aired: (incomplete) ====
* LazyTown (formerly aired on Nick Jr. from 2004-2006.)
* Rugrats
* Doug
*All Grown Up!
*Oobi (TV series)
*Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
*Drake & Josh
*ChalkZone
*Wallykazam!
* The Wild Thornberrys
* Invader Zim (currently unknown)
* Hey Arnold!
*Life with Boys
*Fred: The Show
*Making Fiends
*It's Fred!
*Unfiltered
*All That (reboot series)
*Zack & Quack
*Butterbean's Café
*Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (continued to run until the mid to late 2000s)
*ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks
*Sanjay and Craig
*The Brothers Garcia
*Franklin
*Harvey Beaks
*Little Bear (TV series)
*Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
*Tickety Toc
*Moose and Zee (time-filler segments likely used during commercial breaks)
* The Mighty B! (continued to air as late as 2016, aired with shortened intro sequencehttps://youtu.be/GWZkLwEc_q4?t=882Archived: https://archive.org/details/afn-family-continuity-29-june-2016-1080p-remaster)
*Making Fiends
*The Astronauts
*Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn
* Back at the Barnyard
* Top Elf (premiered December 20th, aired once)
* Gullah Gullah Island
* The Adventures of Kid Danger
* Eureeka's Castle
* The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
* All Grown Up!
* Zoofari
*The Adventures of Padddington
*Knight Squad
*Mutt & Stuff
*Every Witch Way
*Max & Ruby
*It's Pony (aired during preschool block)
*Danger Force
*Henry Danger
*Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 series)
*Fanboy & Chum Chum
*Mike the Knight
*Degrassi: The Next Generation (AFN Pulse)
*Victorious
*Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019 series)
*Double Dare (2018 Series)
*Wonder Pets!
*Avatar: The Last Airbender
*The Legend of Korra
*Wallykazam!
*The Backyardigans
*Wild Grinders (continued to air as late as 2016)
*The Patrick Star Show
== Trivia ==
* AFN has been around for about 80 years, since 1942, making it older than Nickelodeon, who was launched in 1979, and the oldest TV network and organization, (not company, due it being owned by the US government,) on this wiki.
* As time as gone on, AFN has closed many of its radio stations. Well known ones include (closed in 1994) and closed in 1992.
* AFN's main network, AFN Prime, (featuring a mixture of programs that are similar to mainstream American broadcast networks,) also broadcasts over-the-air through analog and digital signals in some areas.
* Intro sequences of AFN broadcasts of some programs, such as The Mighty B! (in the case of which, was cut down to around 10 seconds) were shortened to allow more time for command spots and public service announcements to air.
== References ==
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Category:Channels
Category:Nickelodeon
Category:Real-world organizations
Category:Programming blocks
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