LEBANESE TV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01634R000300030074-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 14, 2000
• Sequence Number: 74
• Publication Date: September 12, 1956
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Rele 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-016R000300030074-5
I001k CONFIDENTIAL ATTACHIYENT 2
DEPARTMENT CF STATE
September 12, 1956
MEMORANDUM FOR Mr, R. E. Button, Chairman,
CCB Committee on Broadcasting & Television
FROM: S. B. Jacques
Department of State Representative
SUBJECT: Lebanese TV
In line with a COBAT request at the July 31 meeting, the following
question was put to appropriate officials in the Department of State (this
being a clarified re-phrasing of the question recorded in the COBAT minutes):
"Do current policy considerations with respect to
Lebanon warrant ICA intensifying its efforts -- and,,
if necessary, increasing its offer of financial as-
sistance -- to establish together with the Lebanon
Government and the Ford Foundation an educational TV
station in Beirut?"
The response to this question was: Current policy considerations with
respect to Lebanon warrant continuation of efforts to assist the Lebanese
government in establishment of educational television; our primary objective,
however, is to assist in programming rather than in the actual provision of
equipment; we are, therefore, not prepared to recommend an increase in ICA's
offer of financial assistance.
In connection with references which had been made to "attractive French
offers or other foreign competition" which "might adversely hamper U.S.
opportunities for supplying technical and programming assistance" it was
noted that they seemed to imply that influence in programming will accrue to
the nation which actually supplies the television equipment. It was felt
that this is demonstratively not the case in Iraq, and the Department has
been proceeding on the assumption that it is not necessarily the case in
Lebanon.
(As a parenthetical observation, it is not appaient to me what relevancy
the question posed in COBAT has to the Beirut TV case as so far presented to
COBAT. To the contrary, it seems somewhat academic in that framework. At
the last previous discussion of the case (July 5), the issue considered was
the "U.S. commercial interest" and the standards issue which had been tied
in with the former, This discussion led to two messages to Beirut (DEPTEL
19S July 17; A-10 July 20), stating agreed positions on the issues, essen-
tially reiterating positions previously cormunicated to Beirut (DEPTELs
2365 June 22, 11 July 2). So far as I know, no further developments or
reactions have been reported from Beirut since the July messages went out.)
Approved For Release 2000/08/2T6P - 78-01634R000300030074-5
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file