USIA REPORT ON T-V ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01634R000300030079-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 14, 2000
• Sequence Number: 79
• Publication Date: August 10, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-0163000300030079-0
SECRET
Attachment 1
USIA REPORT ON T -V ACTIVITIES
In connection.with our discussions of hemispheric TV (see para. 5.k.
of Minutes of :august 2, 1956 meeting of our Group), there has just come.
across my'desk the International Broadcasting Service's Report (prepared
June t56-by the `Office of the TV Program Manager, USIA) on the status of
television activities of USIA. This covers very fully the Latin American
countries but at.only one point (page 17 of IS-58-56 ttOverseas TV Develop-
meats Quarterly aepott"t"where Colombia is stated to have a transmitter
which can eventually hook up with the United States)-is there any reference
to the possibility of hemispheric TV broadcasting from and to the U, S.
The reference to Uruguay (page 19 of the Quarterly Report) does not refer
to the possibilities of a hemispheric network contained }rn the 1955 despatch
from Embassy Montevideo which stated that the prospect of hemispheric
control from theU S, was the controlling factor in Uruguay's purchase
of GE rather than Argentine TV equipment.
Page 25 of the Quarterly Report indicates that 13 Latin American
countries use as TV standards 525 lines - 6 Mc/s bandwidth - 30 frames,
whereas Argentina and Venezuela use 625 lines - 6 Mc/s bandwidth -
25 frames.
Pages 37-41, 45 and 47 of the Quarterly Report show the number of
TV stations and TV sets by country, indicating:
a. that in March 1956 there were 35 TV stations in 6 Latin
American countries. In June 1956, there were 4) in use in the
same 8 countries. For 1956-58, 67 are planned in 20 countries,
b. that in March 1956 there were in use 61a,500 receivers
in 8 countries; and in June of 1956 there were 782,000 in use In
9 countries (Uruguay being added').
ce that the countries in which there were no stations in
June 1956 were Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua,
Panama and Peru.
It would seem from the foregoing that Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia,
Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru would be
fruitful places for-USIA and State to give assistance to private U. S.
TV firms toward effecting installations which will be compatible with
eventual receipt and transmission from and to the U. S. of hemispheric
TV broadcasts. The utility of two-way hemisphere TV to influence the
military, the intellectuals, students, and labor (the four key present
or future groups in LA) would seem considerable, extending as it would
to illiterates and not being subject to duplication from overseas by
the Soviet Bloc.
OCB-RPCrenshaw,Jr.k$/10/56 SECRET
Appro. ed For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-S 1634R000300030079-0
USIA declassification release instructions on tile