YouTube Channel Remembers and Preserves Ads From US Military's TV Service (stripes.com) 18
The American Forces Network is a U.S. government TV and radio broadcast service provided by the military for overseas personnel. But there's an interesting quirk. As an official Department of Defense product, it's not allowed to run ads or even mention commercial products, according to Stars and Stripes. "Instead, it lets commanders put out messages about force protection, weather, current events and base services."
And that's where things get creative...
Killer vending machines, security-conscious hamsters and a roommate who devolves into a caveman. These are some of the memorable features of Garry Terrell's vast collection of military-grade videos from the American Forces Network and its predecessor, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. The son of a former U.S. soldier, Terrell is trying to preserve "all things AFN/AFRTS," and boasts over 3,600 videos on the YouTube channel AFRTSfan. He began his collection nearly three decades ago, after learning that little had been done to save the many AFN spots that serve as a touchstone for troops and military families who've lived overseas.
The military-made productions fill what would normally be ad time in broadcasts back home... Because they're broadcast across various theaters, the ads served as "kind of like this bonding thing" for kids' friend groups frequently reshaped by duty station changes, said Sabine Brown, an airman's daughter who grew up in Germany in the 80s and 90s. For Terrell, whose mother is German, "it was just my local TV and radio provider" growing up on the bases where his father served as a career U.S. soldier in the 70s and 80s. He took it for granted until the early 90s Base Realignment and Closure process threatened to shutter bases he'd grown up on.
"Fearing that AFN might also go away, I decided to try and collect some AFN radio and TV items to add to my ever-growing memory book of Germany," he said in an email. "I felt like I was in a race against time."
He began contacting and befriending AFN staff and alumni, growing his collection through contributions from his expanding network of AFN insiders and "superfans." He started sharing this burgeoning library on YouTube over a decade ago, creating something of a time capsule, with spots that run the gamut from cringe-inducing, silly or lame to fun, brilliant and truly memorable.
The article notes that the videos once were even affectionately lampooned in a duet by two folk-singing Air Force pilots — which apparently remembers, among other things, the AFN ad illustrating the importance of the power-of-attorney by re-dubbing an old Hercules movie.
And that's where things get creative...
Killer vending machines, security-conscious hamsters and a roommate who devolves into a caveman. These are some of the memorable features of Garry Terrell's vast collection of military-grade videos from the American Forces Network and its predecessor, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. The son of a former U.S. soldier, Terrell is trying to preserve "all things AFN/AFRTS," and boasts over 3,600 videos on the YouTube channel AFRTSfan. He began his collection nearly three decades ago, after learning that little had been done to save the many AFN spots that serve as a touchstone for troops and military families who've lived overseas.
The military-made productions fill what would normally be ad time in broadcasts back home... Because they're broadcast across various theaters, the ads served as "kind of like this bonding thing" for kids' friend groups frequently reshaped by duty station changes, said Sabine Brown, an airman's daughter who grew up in Germany in the 80s and 90s. For Terrell, whose mother is German, "it was just my local TV and radio provider" growing up on the bases where his father served as a career U.S. soldier in the 70s and 80s. He took it for granted until the early 90s Base Realignment and Closure process threatened to shutter bases he'd grown up on.
"Fearing that AFN might also go away, I decided to try and collect some AFN radio and TV items to add to my ever-growing memory book of Germany," he said in an email. "I felt like I was in a race against time."
He began contacting and befriending AFN staff and alumni, growing his collection through contributions from his expanding network of AFN insiders and "superfans." He started sharing this burgeoning library on YouTube over a decade ago, creating something of a time capsule, with spots that run the gamut from cringe-inducing, silly or lame to fun, brilliant and truly memorable.
The article notes that the videos once were even affectionately lampooned in a duet by two folk-singing Air Force pilots — which apparently remembers, among other things, the AFN ad illustrating the importance of the power-of-attorney by re-dubbing an old Hercules movie.
Propaganda (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
This is more like a scrapbook for military brats. I also grew up in Germany, without much of what my present peers experienced for media, and I had AFRN and AFRTS instead, among other things.
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AFRTS in Korea (Score:3)
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I remember them running ads to explain American customs to Korean brides of American service members as well as "It 6 O'clock in Central Europe. The news is next on Armed Forces Radio Network."
"From AP, UPI, and the major American networks..."
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re-dubbing an old Hercules movie.
It worked better when they overdubbed "Samson and His Mighty Challenge" [youtube.com].
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Are they having a gun to your head EditorDavid? Blink twice if yes.
Is he allowed to blink why he processes your question? How about breathe?
Will you please repeat the question...?
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Yes. Yes. Yes.*
*Note to moderators: This is not a sex chat. This is a serious conversation about what is clearly a highly pertinent subject. Please treat it accordingly.
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I found this mention quite interesting. I went and subscribed. If it's not your cup of tea then move on. Why spend time complaining?
Cheers!
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I'm so certain that you wouldn't mind getting spammed with random propaganda someone dug up on youtube, I might just start replying to your posts with stuff I THINK you should be shown.
I mean, how else will you be able to decide if it IS your cup of tea unless I ram it down your throat?
Incidentally, this is about to become the BIGGEST thread on this particular slashdot "story".
I'm about to make another reply AND repost my original one, censored by people who DO MIND stuff being rammed down their throat. Or
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As I was saying before some military propagandists decided to censor even an indication of disagreement with their propaganda...
It's a channel with 1k subscribers and under 500k views over 14 years and some 3k videos.
Some of which have under 10 views.
Clearly, no one cares.
So why is THAT on slashdot?
Couldn't come up with anything better or tech related on Memorial Day but just had to spread American military propaganda?
Are they having a gun to your head EditorDavid? Blink twice if yes.
P.S. Should EditorDavid
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Uh-oh! (Score:3)
" it's not allowed to run ads or even mention commercial products"
So how is it going to react to YouTube's decision to show ads even on non-monetized channels? Could a conflict be brewing here?
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No, AFTV (Armed Forced TV) itself cannot run commercial ads. YouTube is simply republishing AFTV content for the rest of the world.
Anyhow, YouTube allows for non-monetized channels to have no advertising - a lot of YouTube channels for commercial entities are ad-free. These companies do pay YouTube a fee for this, but