LETTER OF INSTRUCTION - PART I

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00586R000300160006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 14, 1958
• Content Type: MEMO

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14 August 1958
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chiefs, FBIS Field Bureaus
FROM Chief, FBIS
SUBJECT : Letter of Instruction - Part I
GENERAL
1. Despite the suddenness and magnitude of the Middle East crisis, the
Mediterranean and London Bureaus provided full coverage of the Arab World
and Soviet Bloc transmitters and rapid, uninterrupted communication of material.
During the crisis, several YY (emergency) items from Cyprus reached Washington
in five minutes, 00 (Operational Immediate) in 10 to 15 and PP (Priority) in 45 to
50. For several days of the week of 14 July, wordage on the Wire Service in-
creased 40%. Several special reports were issued and services rendered in connection
with the crisis. On July 16 only, the "pink sheet" of significant foreign radio
reportage was expanded to two pages in order to permit the inclusion of a wider
sampling of worldwide reaction to the landing of American Marines in Lebanon. From
daily roundups supplies by the Okinawa Bureau, special summations of Peking cent
on the Middle East developments were included in the Daily Report as a means of
documenting the major effort undertaken by the Peking Radio to exploit the crisis.
2. Middle East clandestine radio activity has increased markedly since the
Iraqi coup. So far only a few of these have been heard: The "Jordan People's Radio,"
which has called for the overthrow of King Husayn, and the anti-Shamun "Voice of
Free Lebanon" and "Voice of the Struggling Lebanese People." On the other hand,
the anti-Hashimite "Voice of Iraq" discontinued broadcasting on 23 July, with a
"mission accomplished" sign-off.
3. Supplements to the Daily Report:
a. 14 July -- Ulbricht's Report and Khrushchev's Speech to SED Congress
b. 25 July -- Additions to Ulbricht's Report to SED Congress
c. 18 July -- World Radio and Press Reaction to Middle East Crisis
(following landing of United States Marines in Lebanon)
EDITORIAL COMMENT
1. All Bureaus. While tense shift is preferred in dependent clauses both
in British and literary American English, the Hansard style of continuing reportage
of speeches in indirect discourse is not idiomatic in American English and there-
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY
fore should be avoided in copy as far as
and copy as preferred is given below:
COPY AS RECEIVED
(L151844 Berlin ADN July 151552)
Comrade Ulbricht pointed out that
the solution of the main economic
task demanded the speeding up of the
rate of development of the economy
in the republic. This question of
the pace of development was so
important and was a vital question
for the German people because the
W st German militarists were doing
everything in their power to con-
clude nuclear arming.
possible. An example of copy as received
COPY AS PREFERRED
(DAILY REPORT July 17)
Comrade Ulbricht pointed out
that the solution of the main
eonamic task demanded the
speeding up of the rate of
development of the economy of
the republic. This question
of the pace of development, he
said,is so important and is
a vital question for the German
people because the West German
militarists are doing everything
in their power to conclude nuclear
arming.
2. Mediterranean Bureau. All persons concerned with the excellent coverage
of the Mideast crisis are to be commended. The short and rapidly processed FYI's
on the fast-breaking developments were well utilized. For example, the initial
report on the Iraqi revolt was carried by the FBIS Wire Service one hour and 27
minutes before the story was broken by the news agencies. The coordination of
coverage with the BBC was very well done, but in the case where answers to the
BBC queries were of general interest they should also have been filed to Washington.
3. Far East Bureaus:
a. The Far East Bureaus did a most commendable job in contributing to the
total picture of the world crisis resulting from events in the Middle East. The
Tokyo and Saigon files indicated the bureaus' general awareness of the need of
representative reaction to the developments, while Okinawa and West Coast material
clearly reflected Peking's intense propaganda exploitation of the situation. In
this connection attention is called to specific DAILY REPORTS that provide examples
of the use made of field FYI's regarding various radios' initial reaction to major
developments (AAA 1 of July 15 report), the deluge of comment and reportage (AAA
20, July 21 report), and the domestic radios' behavior in relation to these develop-
ments (AAA 25, July 25 report).
STAT
b. The Okinawa and West Coast Bureaus have been very successful in their
efforts to increase the amount of economic material processed as abstracts rather
than for DAILY REPORT publication. In June the West Coast Bureau more than doubled
the May abstract production figure and this performance was almost equaled by Okinawa.
Further efforts along these lines will be appreciated, particularly in the processing
of NCNA English and KCNA material, both of which include many items w h should be
compressed and processed as abstracts. In this regard, there is no r .ibition
against splitting of an item into two or more abstracts when this s ecessary to
respect the 20-line limit necessitated by the physical demensio.. o the abs Aact
cards.
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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liv
S-E-C-R-E-T IA
tt`L
14 August 1958
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, FBIS Field Bureaus
FROM : Chief, FBIS
: Letter of Instruction - Part II
SUBJECT
GENERAL
1.
The service,
than five
existing
Tinian commenced on b August, is limited to wire material not more
days old and its volume and distribution must remain within FBIS'
circuit and personnel capabilities.
50X1
50X1
2. In continuation of the approved program of consolidation of the current
analysis publications of the Radio Propaganda Branch, which began in June with
the amalgamated Trends and Highlights, the Surveys of USSR and Far East Communist
broadcasts were replaced on 3 July with a consolidated Survey of Communist Bloc
Broadcasts. At the same time, a changeover was made from mimeograph to multi-
lith reproduction.
3. Special Propaganda Analysis services:
a. FBIS serviced the U.S. Technical Delegation on Atomic Inspection
with six classified cables analyzing Soviet propaganda on the Geneva technical
talks. Copies were sent to CCI and OSI. Texts of Soviet commentaries on the
talks were filed directly to the delegation by the London Bureau.
b. A typescript study of differences in Soviet and Chinese Communist
propaganda treatment of East-West relations, Yugoslav revisionism, economic aid,
and other selected subjects was prepared Copies were sent to 50X1
OCI, ONE, State and USIA. An advance draft of the INTERNATIONAL COMMUNISM article
on Communist China and the Yugoslav Problem was sent to the Radio Propaganda
Branch by State Department with a notation that the study of Moscow-Peking dif-
ferences had been found useful.
c. A typescript list of references to Japan in Soviet and Chinese
Communist official statements from January 1957 to July 1958 was prepared
Q-1)/1
50X1
d. Three propaganda-analysis items supplemented the news and roundup
coverage of the Middle East crisis on the FBIS Wire. APB analysts responded to
repeated telephone requests from the Chief, State OIRA/DRS and DRS analysts for
up-to-date information on Soviet propaganda treatment of developments in the crisis.
S-E-C-R-E-T
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4. Other special services rendered by FB1S:
a. On July 3 a survey of favorable and derogatory comment concerning
the United States broadcast by the Argentine, Brazilian and Uruguayan radios
during the period June 25 - July 1 was compiled in support of a June 23 National
Security Council directive to the Agency.
b. On July 8 a statement concerning the program content of the Cairo
radio was prepared for FBIS comment on the revision 50X1
of a Joint Intelligence Committee paper bringing up to date a description of the
make-up, technical facilities, and content of the Egyptian radio.
c. On July 23 a collation was prepared of selected texts and summaries
of items monitored from the Cairo) Damascus and "Voice of Free Iraq" radios prior
to July 14, 1958--date of the Iraqi coup--and published in the Daily Report. The
compilation was intended as a demonstration that items broadcast by these three
radios had in many cases predicted an eventual assault of the Iraqi Government
and in some cases had actually incited such an assault.
5. Electronic Specialist on WY in Vienna has tested out the 50X1
loop installation and determined that the signal level on the Tirana) Albania
transmitter on 1088 kcs is just too low to be received intelligibly, and the
Sofia) Bulgaria transmitter on 593 kcs is interfered with by a Vienna transmitter
on 584 kcs using 150 KW power) located only a few miles away and in the general
direction of Sofia. These results indicate that monitoring of Tirana and Sofia at
Vienna will require a Beverage antenna on an appropriate site beyond the inter-
ference range of Radio Vienna. A suitable site is being sought, but construction
will depend on whether arrangements can be made with the Austrian Government.
6. Three additional zerairable semi-automatic tape relay units have been
procured in Tokyo from the local Army Signal Supply Center at 20% of the original
cost. Two will be sent to the Okinawa Bureau. Traffic transmission and relay
functions at these Bureaus will be simplified by these units and the traffic volume
on the circuits brought substantially nearer the theoretical maximum of 88,320
words per day.
7. A Stelma Corporation electronic word counter has been tested and it was
found that calculated and actual counts during test periods were almost identical.
The difference was one word in 7380 during the most crucial test. As the counter
operates in the communications circuit, it produces a count of traffic on the
circuit irrespective of printer changes. A recommendation is in preparation for
procurement of these counters for the FBIS relay centers.
8. Construction report on the FBI'S operations area at Chitose, Hokkaido:
buildings and grounds -- 60% completed; antenna field -- 9* completed.
EDITORIAL COMMENT
1. All bureaus. Various bureaus continue to engage in practices relative
to the preparation and transmissions of reaction roundups which are contrary to
S-E-C-R-E-T
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S-E-C-R-E-T
the directives included in the Editorial Handbook. When roundups are being pre-
pared in the field it is the duty of the editorial supervisor to see that the
following steps are taken:
a. Editors assigned to write the roundups should be certain that they
are acquainted with the guidance provided in the Handbook and with the supplementary
instruction included in letters of instructions. It will be noted that the round-
ups are intended to synthesize recurrent themes when they appear and provide a
con denominator of reaction when it is appropriate. A recent contribution
consisted of 16 takes listing a wide variety of isolated comments strung together
like beads. It should be obvious that such contributions are extremely difficult
to handle and that to publish them in full would be inconsistent with the concept
of reporting reaction which reflects a generally held sentiment. On the other
hand some bureaus on occasion limit their efforts to reporting very isolated
comments when apparently other comments are available, thus failing to provide
any indication of the representative underlying themes.
b. Recent reaction reports should be scrutinized carefully by bureau
personnel and compared with the roundups filed by the bureau as a means of
acquainting editors with the kinds of changes that have normally been made in the
bureau's contributions. It is expected that the authors of subsequent reports
will thus be better able to tailor their product to Headquarters' needs and pre-
ferences. Of all the contributions to the recent report on the landing of American
Marines in Lebanon, that from the East Coast Bureau needed the least revision.
c. All takes of the roundups must be slugged PROJECTS EDITOR ONLY.
Recently more than an hour and a half was wasted in an effort to track down
copies which were in same cases filed with no flag, addressed "COPY TO PROJECTS
EDITOR" or sent as administrative messages. Frequently various takes from a single
bureau are addressed differently.
2. Mediterranean Bureau
a. The inclusion of material in roundups which does not merit individual
processing but which fills out the broad picture of the situation is appreciated
and encouraged. Such summarization as an alternative to copious filing is es-
pecially appreciated during weekend and holiday periods.
b. Efforts should be made to insure closer coordination between cruising
monitors and editorial personnel so that items of general editorial interest will
be filed appropriately for use by the Headquarters Wire and DAILY REPORT.
2. London Bureau.
Editors are reminded that the new logograph manual provides that the name
of the language must be included in press service brief logographs even when the
language is that of the originating country. For example: Moscow, TASS, Russian,
etc.
S-E-C-R-E-T
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4. East Coast Bureau
The Bureau's contributions to the survey of opinions concerning the US
voiced by the Argentine, Brazilian, and Uruguayan radios, prepared for the ESC,
sere much appreciated.
AIMINISTRATION
1. The Chief, Radio Propaganda Branch recently made a brief recruiting trip
to Eastern universities.
2. Bureaus are requested to indicate actual dates instead of "as scheduled,"
"this date," etc. on all administrative messages.
3. Monthly Classified Personnel Reports should be submitted in an original
and two copies and the Foreign Personnel Report in an original and one copy.
4. The following FBIS regulatory issuance was released during the month
of July:
PERSONNEL CHANGES
1. New Employees in FBIS
Name
Ass igasaent
Editorial Branch
(Trf. from OCI)
WCB
(Trf. from FDD)
Editorial Branch
Editorial Branch
Editorial Branch
50X1
50X1
2. Reassignments within FBIS
Name Fran
To
Editor, Ed. Br.
Editor, London Bureau
50X1
Adm. Assistant, ECB
Adm Assistant, WCB
Editor, Ed. Br.
Editor, WCB
S-E-C-R-E-T
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Name
3. Transfer from FBI'S
From To
Editor, Ed. Br. Editor, ECB 50X1
Adm. Assistant, WCB Adm. Assistant, Tokyo Bur.
Cruising Monitor, WCB Cruising Monitor, Oki. Bur.
Editor, Ed. Br. Editor, London Bureau
Name From To
4. 'Separations
Teletypist, Ed. Br. Contact Division
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S-E-C-R-E-T
ROGER G. SEELY
50X1
50X1
50X1
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