VISIT TO (Sanitized)

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80B01676R003400080005-4
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
December 21, 2016
Document Release Date: 
January 7, 2009
Sequence Number: 
5
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 3, 1961
Content Type: 
LETTER
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP80B01676R003400080005-4.pdf93.9 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80B01676R003400080005-4 FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE Chief, FBIS Washington 13, D.C. Dear Subject: Visit to Bureau - Edward R. Murrow As you know, the State Department Regional Operations Conference 4- +..1..,. -'I--- week's p 1 yil L1VJ.I pouch a full report on our art in the activities but , but this earlier report on Mr. Murrow's visit to the Station may be in order, I believe. When the conference was first discussed at a Country Team meeting, the Ambassador suggested that FBIS coordinate with the Public Affairs Officer in entertaining the USIA participants. Out of this planning with Bill Smith, the PAO, it was agreed we would, on Sunday afternoon, take care of all USIA people who had arrived by that time, one of whom Tim 11 A 1,o TJ? 'Ar- ..,.--- Mr. Murrow was already familiar with the FBIS h e Daily RePort and RPB's w~ re, t , publications. As he sat down, he said, "Your organization is absolutely indispensable." While I was talking about coverage, the BBC arrangement 1- versus overseas casts and the .ike, Mr. Murrow said he was particularly interested in RPB's comparisons of Moscow's handling of international affairs on its home, as opposed to its foreign, broadcasts. He said he had recently won a White House argument by using RPB's reports of .Moscow's treatment of the Berlin question on its internal casts. Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80B01676R003400080005-4 Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80BO1676R003400080005-4 He contended that Khrushchev had not committed his own prestige with his own people on the Berlin issue to anything like the degree he had done in 1958, and he used an RPB product to prove his contention. Later Mr. Murrow said that he had "bootlegged" our stuff for years but now it was nice to be using it legally - "absolutely indispensable" as it is. As we walked over to the house, I told him, because he had spoken of his contacts with Congress in his job as head of USIA, of an idea I had once had of our preparing for delivery to congressmen a daily resume of what the Communists were saying about matters before Congress. He said he had in mind something like this to be produced weekl y. Mr. llurrow recounted some excellent anecdotes about "Satchmotl as a goodwill ambassador, and about a bottle Satchmo had given him in We all enjoyed the visit very much indeed, and Mr. Nurrow stayed beyond his prearranged time of departure - whether because he liked the drinks, the conversation, or the breeze I do not know. Sincerely, Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80BO1676R003400080005-4 Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80BO1676R003400080005-4 Approved For Release 2009/01/07: CIA-RDP80BO1676R003400080005-4