Großbritanniens Militärrundfunk und die "Westernisierung" deutscher Hörer. Der British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) als nicht intendierte Maßnahme britischer Public Diplomacy

Abstract

The chapter gives an historical overview (1945-2018) of the development of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) in Germany, previously known as the British Forces Network (BFN). This is followed by an analysis of the role and functions of military radio as a tool of public diplomacy between the UK and German audiences throughout the years. This function of forces radio is identified as 'non-intended' public diplomacy as German civilians were at no point an official target audience for British military broadcasting. The cultural influences, however, that BFN/BFBS have had in Germany (largely focusing on pop music, etc.) have been profound, and perhaps more successful than official UK public-diplomacy efforts vis-à-vis Germans, the chapter argues: they have contributed to the 'Westernisation' that took place in Germany after the end of the Nazi dictatorship. * For more information on the book, please go to https://www.schoeningh.de/katalog/titel/978-3-506-79250-1.html