Southern Command Network

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The Southern Command Network (SCN) was a unit of the American Forces Network whose primary market was the Panama Canal Zone. Its operation was provided initially by Armed Forces Radio (AFN) at Albrook Field and later as the Caribbean Forces Network at Fort Clayton with translators on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone. In the early 1960s with reorganization of the command located in the Canal Zone, CFN became the Southern Command Network (SCN). SCN also broadcast to U.S. troops stationed in Honduras starting in 1987. SCN discontinued broadcasting on 1 July 1999 [1] just before the 31 December [2] turnover of the Canal Zone to the Republic of Panama when U.S. troops were removed from that country under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties.

SCN also operated in Honduras; its radio stations are now under the control of AFN Europe.

History

NBC started donating 2,000 pounds worth of programs to a station in Panama in September 1941 before the invasion of Pearl Harbor; its broadcasts became definitive in early 1942. [3] On May 6, 1956, SCN started television broadcasts on channel 8 in the Panama Canal Zone, nearly four years before the launch of RPC Televisión. [4] It also had a relay on channel 10 in the Atlantic zone. [5] The network adopted the SCN name in 1963. [6] Although the channel was intended to be restricted to servicemen in the Panama Canal Zone, the signal was clear in Panama City and Colón, where bilingual families started buying television sets. [6]

Instead of being a direct part of AFRTS, SCN was the only operation under the direct control of the local unified command (SOUTHCOM). [7] At the end of 1978, SCN pioneered the usage of satellite technology and completed construction of its local satellite earth station in April 1979. This prefigured the beginning of AFN's satellite broadcasts (SATNET) by three years, when its main facilities in Los Angeles started satellite delivery. [3] : 112 

Until March 1989, SCN's main problem was regarding copyright issues with Panamanian television networks (RPC and TVN, later joined by Telemetro). The situation changed when the country was gearing up for the general election followed by the aftershocks of the coup attempt. SCN was caught between the Panamanian and American governments, and had a central role in the events in case the bases were invaded. The situation stabilized on January 5, 1990. [7] During the temporary suspension of Panamanian media outlets, SCN was the only television channel authorized to operate until RPC resumed on Christmas Day with a limited schedule. [8] [9]

SCN ceased operations in two phases, with local origination ending on July 1, 1999 and relays ceasing completely on December 31, 1999, when the Panama Canal returned to Panamanian control. Its equipment was relocated to the United States and Puerto Rico. [10]

In 2001, following failed attempts at creating a regional educational station, [11] the Panamanian government started setting a date for the fate of the former SCN frequencies, July 10. [12] [13] Since no company successfully bid for those licenses, channels 7 and 9 in the capital zone were given for a bid, Tele 7 (now Oye TV) and TVMax, both starting in 2005.

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References

  1. ↑ "Canal 8 cierra el 1 de julio luego de laborar por 50 años" (in Spanish). 24 June 1999.
  2. ↑ "El Canal en manos panameñas ha aportado $16.818 millones". Metrolibre (in Spanish).
  3. 1 2 History of AFRTS, the First 50 Years. American Forces Information Service and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. 1992.
  4. ↑ "Televición" (in Spanish).
  5. ↑ Ayarza Sánchez, 2005, p.13
  6. 1 2 Roy, 2000
  7. 1 2 Brass Button Broadcasters. Turner Publishing Company. 1992. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  8. ↑ Chamorro, 2003, p.9
  9. ↑ Candanedo, 2003, p.19
  10. ↑ Del Vasto, 2007, p.111
  11. ↑ "Piden que canal 8 sea televisión educativa". Panamá América (in Spanish). 1 April 2001. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Fijan fecha para licitación de Canal 8" (in Spanish). 24 March 2001. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "El 10 de julio se licitará la frecuencia del canal 8" (in Spanish). 26 June 2001. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
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