U.S. TV Programs Scheduled to Begin Monday; Ribbon Cutting ceremony to Open TV Facility

Berlin's long-awaited American Television Station will become a reality Monday, April 17. United States Armed Forces Television (AFTV) Berlin will begin broadcasting on a regular schedule at 5 p.m. on that day. The station will be formally opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday, April 17. Holding the scissors will be the Vice-Commander-in-Chief of the United States Air forces in Europe, Lieutenant General Arthur C. Agan and Major general John F. Franklin Jr., U.S. Commander, Berlin. According to the station commander, First Lieutenant Rallin J. Aars, the first program will be a documentary of the history of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) and of the construction of the Berlin station. This feature will be followed by the station's regular schedule of news and packaged programs provided by the AFRTS headquarters. Television in the Dahlem-Zehlendorf area will be received on UHF, channel 25. This frequency may be received without modification on any United States TV set manufactured since February 1965, or what is commonly known as an 83 channel set. The AFTV signal will be relayed to Tempelhof Central Airport where it will be rebroadcast in the immediate area over VHF channel 12. Station antennas in both locations have been installed to limit reception to the American housing areas. Although Germans in the vicinity of the two transmitters may be able to receive a picture, they will not be able to hear the American sound without converting their German receivers. The television studio is housed in the former APO on Saargemunder Strasse. This building was remodeled by the Berlin Brigade Engineer and Installations Division under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Stuart McArthur. Installation of equipment was by a team from the 2874th GEEIA Squadron from Ramstein Air Base under the supervision of Mr. Bruce Joyner and Frank Graham of the Sacramento AFRTS Engineering Branch. Lieutenant Colonel James D. Donnelly, the U.S. Army project officer for the Armed Forces Television in Berlin and the personnel of his Communications and Electronics Division contributed significantly to the completion of the TV facilities as did the project officer and his staff at Tempelhof Central airport, Captain Jack Entwiste. The staff of AFTV-Berlin will include First Lieutenant Aars, Technical Sergeant Marvin M. Weiner, the station manager, and 19 airmen, including seven maintenance men from Tempelhof's 1946th Communications squadron. The stations's equipment includes many of the latest developments in television including fully transistorized circuits, compact television cameras and a miniaturized control panel.

The first TV guide... April 17, 1967...