// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did AFN Family say to the TV? You're a channel above the rest.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United States military bases and family homes via IPTV distribution |
| Headquarters | Riverside, California, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language |
|
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | American Forces Network |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | September 2, 2004 |
| Closed | March 22, 2026 (via satellite) |
| Links | |
| Website | MyAFN |
| Availability limited to U.S. military personnel in military bases | |
| Streaming media | |
| Affiliated Streaming Service | AFN Now |
AFN Family is a general entertainment channel providing programming for children ages 2 to 17.
The channel follows the traditional scheduling structure of mainland American children's networks such as Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, where preschool programming starts in the morning, followed by afternoon general children's programming, then programming for teens at night, under the title of AFN Pulse.[1]
History
[edit]AFN featured children's programming on what would become the AFN Prime network prior to its launch; in January 2003, it was announced that the service would launch two new networks, a family network and a movie network (which would become AFN Movie), beginning in December 2003. Under the move, AFN Spectrum was set to lose some of its programming.[2] The launch of the two channels were delayed;[3] by August 2004, it and AFN Movie were headed for a September 3, 2004 launch; meanwhile, the channel had launched on satellites as a placeholder until the scheduled date.[4] Broadcasts started de facto on September 2, but de jure on September 3; for a time after its launch, children's programming continued to air in limited number on AFN Prime.[5]
In its early years, programming started with pre-school content from 5am to 3pm, followed by programming for school-age kids and families until 7pm, the latter consisting mostly of contemporary cable cartoons and some live-action programming, such as AFV or sitcoms. Programming from 7pm was geared towards teenagers and consisted mostly of teen sitcoms, either from cable or over-the-air networks, while overnight, reruns of some of the afternoon and evening shows were carried.[6]
Beginning September 2013, the AFN Family Primetime day-part of the channel was given an identity of its own, AFN Pulse, similar to Nickelodeon's overnight branding and schedule as Nick at Nite.
In 2017, in line with other AFN networks, it converted to high definition.[7]
With AFN services moving from satellite distribution to IPTV streaming (including access to individual programs), the channel moved exclusively to that mode of distribution on March 22, 2026.[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ "AFN|family Primetime gets a new name". AFN -TV. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ Emert, Rick (17 January 2003). "Watch for 2 new AFN channels". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ Dougherty, Kevin (9 November 2003). "AFN to delay start of 2 new TV channels". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ Little, Vince (12 August 2004). "AFN set to air Olympics, add family and movie services, expand Spectrum". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 2024-04-24. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ↑ "AFN Schedule". American Forces Network. 2004. Archived from the original on 18 August 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "AFN Family Schedule" (PDF). The Kwajalein Hourglass: Volume 45. March 30, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 15, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ↑ Svan, Jennifer (28 March 2017). "AFN to go high-definition by end of year after years of delay". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "AFN to reduce satellite services in 2026; streaming option available now". www.army.mil. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.