VISIT TO (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• 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
• Publication Date: August 3, 1961
• Content Type: LETTER

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