Radio Play-by-Play Becomes Dinosaur

The Defense Department announced July 5 that the American Forces Network (AFN) will cease broadcasting play-by-play sports on radio later this summer. The decision came because worldwide audience surveys of service members and civilian employees stationed overseas showed that they simply prefer to watch sorts rather than just listen to them. Some motor sports programming will remain on AFN radio’s schedule in order to complete their seasons, with the September 9 NASCAR Nextel Cup race from Richmond International Raceway scheduled to be the final AFN radio sports play-by-play broadcast.