Digital Broadcasters Vendor News recently covered the passing of the original 'Tokyo Rose' broadcaster who wooed Allied servicemen in the Pacific arena on Radio Japan with dulcit tones and seductive on-air presentation.
A fact not too well known is that is was the success of enemy propaganda radio broadcasts during World War II that led to the formation of American Armed Forces Radio (AFRS) in the Pacific. In the beginning it was known as the AFRS Jungle Network.
An associate website of Digital Broadcasters Vendor News is http:// www.radioheritage.net based in New Zealand which has just posted fascinating facts about the early days of the AFRS Jungle Network and other captivating radio titbits on their site.
There you can see a pin up photo of GI Jill, the answer to "Tokyo Rose", as well as the most detailed list ever assembled of some 50 AFRS radio stations in the broadcast network.
From WVTA Aitape 'Voice of the New Guinea Area', WVTK Leyte 'The Voice of Leyte' (Philippines) to WVTB Nadzab 'The Pioneer Radio Voice of New Guinea', and stations all over the Southwest Pacific, Dutch East Indies and the Philippines.
Today's digital broadcast vendors with turnkey set ups for studios and transmitters will find it fascinating reading: how a typical station was set up then, the programs; the playlists, and how they operated in torrid tropical conditions.
AFRS first, then the "Far East Network" (FEN Japan) later emerged out of the AFRS Jungle Network in 1945.
And exclusively at www.radioheritage.net you can now read 'Jungle Network News', the original 1944 newsletter issued by Jungle Network HQ in Hollandia. Staff movements, the Weekly News Review and orientation programs for the invasion of the Philippines are just some of the highlights. Go for a good read on broadcasting history in Asia-Pacific!
No comments:
Post a Comment