MONTHLY REPORT-AUSTRIAN BUREAU-MARCH 1983

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000100180009-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 1, 2008
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: April 1, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

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1 April 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report - Austrian Bureau - March 1983
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. Austrian Bureau's Russian pro ram got off the ground
this month as our newest monitor, began pro-
cessing material from selected Soviet journals. For the
month, we filed 31,420 words of copy from the Soviet
journals.
2. In another new development, the bureau began a 1-month
trial subscription to the Austrian Press Agency feed of
East European English-language press services. We con-
cluded that the Tirana ATA, Bucharest Agerpres and Sofia
BTA received over APA appeared to be a good backstop to
our regular RTT coverage. The APA subscription has been
extended through the end of September, when a further
evaluation of the usefulness of the service will be made.
3. The virtual disappearance of the Belgrade Tanjug Serbo-
Croatian first program or general service after 21 March
necessitated a major realignment of bureau and BBC coverage
of the Yugoslav media. BBC logs indicated a dramatic decline
in the substantial and in-depth reporting of the first pro-
gram, with a corresponding increase in shorter, newsy second
program items. As a consequence, Austrian Bureau found it-
self processing more and more of the "missing" items from
its regular radio and press coverage. Effective 5 April,
the BBC will temporarily assume responsibility for Belgrade
Domestic Service coverage from the 0200 GMT through the
1300 GMT broadcasts.
STAT
4. The bureau's new Austrian TV "teletext" service-- through
which noncopyrighted information ranging from news to
weather, aircraft arrivals/departures, exchange rates and
cooking and chess tips can be displayed on a TV screen--has
already scored several scoops over other bureau-monitored
sources. FCS has christened the new service Vienna ORF
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Teletext in German. We are considering buying a commercial
VCR so thee "raw copy" for processed items will not be lost
when ORF updates its news.
5. In the dead of the cold and snowy night of 26/27 March,
Austria and the rest of Europe switched to Summer Time. We
are now 2 hours ahead of GMT. For the first time, the Yugos-
lavs also introduced daylight savings time, which allows
the bureau to continue to close at night at 2300 instead
of 2400 as was the case in previous summers.
B. Communications
Start up of the new Austrian Bureau primary communications
circuit has been delayed from mid-March to early May because
of the increased leadtime needed by QEI, Inc. to manufacture
the tone keyer/converter equipment. Meanwhile, bureau
technicians are putting the finishing touches on the Embassy
telephone room interface equipment for the new circuit. The
router for the new circuit will Be RUESFV.
C. Lateral Services
The assassination of the Turkish ambassador to Yugoslavia
on 9 March gave added importance to the bureau's television
monitoring program, as Belgrade TV showed extensive shots of
the scene as well as a hospital interview with attending
doctors. In addition to supplying Headquarters with copies
of the Belgrade tapes, as well as slightly different shots
aired over Vienna and Budapest TV, copies were sent to
American Embassy Ankara at its request.
A. Personnel
. Our super hardworking and harried administrative assistant,
was particularlv pleased this month to welcome STAT
aboard her new assistant, who has already STAT
proved to be a quick and able learner.
2-. The bureau was notified on 25 March that our TV con-
tractor in Belgrade, would be re- STAT
signing in early April due to health reasons. Belgrade Em-
bassy is in the process of identifying a qualified replacement.
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B. Buildings and Grounds
1. A major breakthrough in quality of life of service
at Austrian Bureau was achieved when Headquarters approved
changing the bureau from an unfurnished to a furnished post.
The Embassy GSO has been requested to place an order with
Drexel for the first two of an eventual five households of
furniture.
2. Failure to identify suitable replacements for the
bureau's retired live-in custodians has necessitated con-
tinuing contractual arrangements with a daytime housekeeper
and with a local guard service for a night watchman.
III. VISITS
To the Bureau
1.
February - 22 March.
From the Bureau
Chief Engineer
Attachments:
Production Report
Non-Staff Personnel Report
cc: Chief, FBIS London Bureau
TDY, 28
STAT
TDY, 23-26 STAT
Italy, 17-18 March. STAT
Chief, Austrian Bureau
STAT
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