LETTER TO (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00765A000100020015-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2009
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: September 7, 1954
• Content Type: LETTER

FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
AMERICAN EMBASSY
LONDON, W. 1.
On 31 August John Campbell advised that he had just been informed by
Reuters that an agreement had been entered into with Tass News Agency whereby
Reuters was to have exclusive copyrights in the United riingdom to the `Pass
Russian and English Hellschreiber services. He was further informed that
Reuters might be willing to share these rights for a consideration. A sum
of 1.10,000 per annum was mentioned.
Nir. Campbell referred the matter to J. B. Clark, who, it is understood,
has also been in consultation with interested government departments, Mean-
time, it was proposed that BBC should immediately suspend coverage of these
services. I was to be advised when the action was taken.
The next day, 1 September, ~d I were called to London by
General Deane to meet the Director and it was not until the 2nd that I
received word of the suspension of coverage which had gone into effect at STAT
midnight. Dispatch of my message was delayed for several 'Hours pending
clarification of the revised BBC schedule and seemed by that time to have
lost some of its urgency. iVevertheless, I entirely agree it should have
been directed to your attention.
Loss of the Hellschreiber services has been compensated f'or in large
measure by maximization of'lloscow voice and dictation press and English and
I+'rench Morse, as described in LD 18$ and LD 189. Results of this collateral
exploitation appear to have been good so far.
Saltmarshe tells me that settlement of the copyright problem is not
expected until Campbell's return from leave, that is, some time after 27
September. The unofficial opinion is that there is little likelihood that
the BBC will consent to paying Reuters for the service, at least not any
such figure as proposed. It is speculated that sufficient interest in the
issue may be aroused in government quarters for invoking provisions of the
Defense of the Realm Act.
You will be promptly informed of any further developments.
Sincerely,
ie , n on ureau