The last remaining U.S. radio station in Berlin has closed, ending an era that began with the first American radio broadcast in the city in the summer of 1945, according to Politico Europe.
“It’s a sad moment embodying the end of a tradition,” said Anna Kuchenbecker, one of KRCW Berlin’s board members, who said that the decision was made as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Although German public radio is funded with billions received through broadcast fees, the station was unable to receive any since it was an affiliate of the California public radio station of the same name, and therefore funded by KCRW in California and by National Public Radio.
“The pain that we are feeling with KCRW Berlin going away is something that is not necessarily felt in the U.S.,” added program director Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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