MONTHLY REPORT --PANAMA BUREAU-- AUGUST 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: September 4, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PANAMA BUREAU
DRAWER 927
APO MIAMI 34004
4 September 1986
MPA 6018
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -Panama Bureau-- August 1986
A. The 13-meter Internet dish was installed. Initial tests of its
receiving capability were successful. The equipment hut to be located
next to the new antenna is still in customs awaiting clearance, but we
expect to have it installed by the end of September.
B. We are experiencing unanticipated delays in obtaining Panamanian
Government approval of the frequency allocation for the Internet dish.
Hard information has been difficult to obtain thus far, but it appears the
problem is political rather than technical. The ambassador is currently
pursuing the matter with the minister of government and justice.
C. We are also experiencing similar delays in obtaining a frequency
allocation that will link bureau communications with the embassy's SKYMUX
system. This matter is being pursued in a variety of channels and may
have to be placed at the ambassadorial level eventually.
D. A freak storm with hurricane-force winds and slashing rain caused
extensive damage and disruption in Panama City on 11 August. The windows
and glass doors of numerous homes were shattered or blown out of their
frames. Senior editor apartment was seriously damaged and
some of the furniture in the bureau chief's unoccupied apartment was badly
stained by water seepage.
E. The almost complete turnover of the bureau's U.S. staff was
completed with the arrival of the bureau chief, cruiser, and two editors.
Six of our nine staff positions are now filled with newcomers.
STAT
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A. Monitorial/Editorial
The bureau began sampling television programs for inclusion in
the Internet program schedule. Sampling of Chilean, Argentine, and the
new Cubavision television has not been productive, and toward month's end
the bureau was looking at Mexican television for talk shows or news
features of possible interest.
The inauguration of Cubavision over the 14.0W Gorizont satellite
led to intensive cruising and sampling of this new source which currently
transmits 3 days a week. The bureau also temporarily filed program
summaries of the "Telediario" newscast for headquarters information and
evaluation. the newscast, however, contains mostly low-level national
news and has not been of monitoring interest thus far.
B. Communications
The bureau experienced two long and frustrating communications
outages during August, the second lasting over 24 hours. During the
second outage, the bureau chief and deputy finally visited the local Tech
Control to resolve the problem. Communications were restored almost
immediately with Tech Control acknowledging the problem was human error at
its facility.
C. Lateral Services
The bureau revamped its AIG's in August to bring them into line
with LSL requirements and to prepare for the introduction of BACH. Three
of the five Latin American AIG's were cancelled and the other two modified
after coordination with Paraguay, Key West, and Headquarters.
D. Technical
a subcontractor sent by SATCOM Technologies, Inc.,
visited the bureau the week of 11 August to replace the defective antenna
cables that were installed during construction of the three 9.2-meter
antennas. also replaced the azimuth arm on the upper 9.2-meter
antenna, bringing that antenna up to specification and allowing reception
of a second Morelos (Mexico) satellite. Finally, replaced the
elevation Jack screw boot on the middle antenna. The original boot had
been damaged during construction.
The following accountable property was purchased locally:
Four portable color televisions, Hitachi, Model TP300, Serial
Nos. S6F-002021, S6F-002022, S6F-002023, and S6F-002024. Unit price:
$300.00.
STAT
STAT
STAT
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The following accountable property was received from
Headquarters:
Four Extel Comscribes II-C, Serial Nos. 90360, 90362, 90147, and
90136. Unit price: $1,568.00.
One teletype time printer, Model MDL-5, Serial No. 86005. No
unit price currently available.
III ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
Cruisin off'
replaces
Bureau chief
19 August. His wife,
and family arrived PCS 4 August.
who-departed Panama PCS on 12 August.
arrived PCS 11 August.
arrived 18 August and assumed duties
will be arriving 4 September.
and family arrived PCS 25 August.
B. Building and Grounds
Cable theft continued to be a problem during the month. On 10
August the bureau lost all commercial power owing to a break in the power
cable running to the bureau from Miraflores. After a 4-day search, Army
engineers discovered that 60 feet of cable had been stolen. A little more
than a week later, 160 feet of underground coaxial cable was stolen from
one of the bureau's rhombic antennas. This was the same section of cable
that had been stolen and replaced in early July. This section was again
replaced. The military police and appropriate embassy components have
been informed of the thefts, but the military advises that owing to the
bureau's isolated location little can be done other than increasing police
patrols. The bureau is currently working with appropriate embassy
components to increase bureau and antenna field security.
IV. VISITS
To the bureau:
Paraguay Bureau electronics technician 2-4 August.
Four members of the 1st PSYOP Batallion, Forward Support Detachment,
(Airborne), 5 August, for a briefing and tour of bureau operations.
Chief/Engineering Support Group, 11-14 August.
General Electrics engineer, 11-14 August, for Internet
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
DRD, 11-17 August, for orientation and familiarization
with a bureau operations.
V. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
On 30 August, the bureau's Social Activities Committee sponsored a
"Hail and Farewell" party at the pool area of the bureau ' esidence
to say good-bye to departing editors and and to
welcome and introduce those newly arrived staffers and their families.
Attachment
Production Report
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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Panama Bureau Production Report for August 1986
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTHs
472280
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTHS
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTHs
21240
1284
?
BROAD-
CASTS
PRESS
AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
II.
III.
INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE:
(minutes or issues per week)
OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCESs
11725.00
min.
90870.00
min.
202.00
issues
(publishable words per month)
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires REUTER in
Spanish
Buenos Aires REUTER in
English
CHILE
Santiago Television Service in
Spanish
Santiago REUTER in
English
CLANDESTINES
Clandestine Radio Farabundo Marti in
Spanish to El Salvador
Clandestine Radio Venceremos in
Spanish to El Salvador .
COLOMBIA
Bogota Cadena Radial Super in
Spanish
2300
Bogota Domestic Service in
Spanish
0
Bogota Emisoras Caracol Network in
Spanish
2810
Bogota Television Service in
Spanish
13630
Bogota REUTER in
Spanish
Bogota REUTER in
English
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Bogota EL SIGLO in
Spanish
Bogota EL TIEMPO in
Spanish
COSTA RICA
San Jose Domestic Service in
Spanish
3380
San Jose RADIO IMPACTO in
Spanish 2290
San Jose Radio Reloj in
Spanish 10670
San Jose LA NACION in
Spanish
2930
San
Jose LA PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish
0
San
Jose LA REPUBLICA in
Spanish
3890
San
Jose LIBERACION in
Spanish
830
San
Jose LIBERTAD REVOLUCIONARIA in
Spanish
690
San
Jose LIBERTAD in
Spanish
1280
San
Jose NICARAGUA HOY in
Spanish
1600
San Jose RUMBO in
Spanish
CUBA
Havana International Service in
Quechua
Havana International Service.in
Spanish
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
English
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
ECUADOR
Quito DOMESTIC SERVICE in
Spanish
Quito Radio Quito in
Spanish
Quito Voz de los Andes in
Spanish
Quito REUTER in
Spanish
10640
2390
2710
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Quito REUTER in
English
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
San Salvador
Spanish
Domestic Service in
La Voz Panamericana
Radio Cadena
Radio Cadena
Radio Cadena
Sonora in
YSKL in
YSU in .
Television Educativa in
DIARIO LATINO in
EL DIARIO DE HOY in
EL MUNDO in
LA PRENSA GRAFICA in
FRANCE
Paris AFP in
.. English
Paris AFP in
Spanish
GERMANY
Hamburg DPA in
Spanish
GUATEMALA
Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras
Unidas in
Spanish
Guatemala City Radio Nuevo Mundo in
Spanish
Guatemala City Radio Television
Guatemala in
Spanish
2390
4120
1850
4000
13940
10960
1920
830
1000
1880
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Guatemala City EL GRAFICO in
Spanish 1240
Guatemala City PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish s 2750
HONDURAS
Tegucigalpa Cadena Audio Video in
Spanish 3110
Tegucigalpa Domestic Service in
Spanish 2110
Tegucigalpa Radio America in
Spanish 970
Tegucigalpa Televisooa Hondurena in
Spanish 1730
Tegucigalpa Voz de Honduras Network in
Spanish 11980
San Pedro Sula LA PRENSA in
Spanish 490
San Pedro Sula TIEMPO in
Spanish 4030
Tegucigalpa EL HERALDO in
Spanish 2570
Tegucigalpa LA TRIBUNA in
Spanish 820
MEXICO
Mexico City Red Nacional 13 IMEVISION
Television in
Spanish
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish
Mexico City CERIGUA in
Spanish
Mexico City REUTER in
English
Mexico City EL DIA in
Spanish
Mexico City EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Mexico City EL UNIVERSAL in
Spanish
Mexico City EXCELSIOR in
Spanish
Mexico City THE NEWS in
English
Mexico City UNOMASUNO in
Spanish
NICARAGUA
Managua International Service in
Spanish
3260
3750
1490
2360
2130
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Managua Domestic Service in
Spanish 21560
Managua Radio Noticias in
Spanish . 340
Managua Radio Sandino in
Spanish 16940
Managua Sistema Sandinista Television
Network in
Spanish 1740
Managua ANN Diplomatic Information
Service in
Spanish 0
Managua ANN in
Spanish 6970
Managua PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish 570
Managua SALPRESS-NOTISAL in
Spanish 0
Managua BARRICADA in
Spanish
Managua EL NUEVO DIARIO in
Spanish
PANAMA
Panama City Circuito RPC
Television in
Spanish 920
Panama City Domestic Service in
Spanish 3990
Panama City PANAVISION Television in
Spanish 310
Panama City Television Service in
Spanish 0
Panama City Televisora Nacional in
Spanish 2050
Panama City ACAN in
Spanish 22090
Panama City CRITICA in
Spanish
Panama City DIALOGO SOCIAL in
Spanish
Panama City EL SIGLO in
Spanish
Panama City EXTRA in
1660
0
1250
Spanish 970
Panama City LA ESTRELLA DE PANAMA in
Spanish 2670
Panama City LA PRENSA in
Spanish 5560
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22: CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
Panama City LA REPUBLICA DOMINICAL in
Spanish
Panama City LA REPUBLICA in
Spanish
Panama City MATUTINO in
Spanish
Panama City QUIUBO GRAFICO in
Spanish
Panama City STAR AND HERALD in
English
Panama City THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC in
English
PERU
Lima Panamericana Television
Network in
Spanish
Lima Television Peruana in
Spanish
Lima REUTER in
English
Lima REUTER in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
USSR
Moscow TABS in
Spanish
VENEZUELA
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
Caracas REUTER in
English
Caracas EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Caracas EL UNIVERSAL in
Spanish
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
0
1910
,1700
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
TOTALS FROM ROSET SOURCES:
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires REUTER in
Spanish ?
410
COLOMBIA
Bogota Television Service in
Spanish
12,980
Bogota REUTER in
English
580
Bogota REUTER in
Spanish
680
CUBA
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
7,240
ECUADOR
Quito REUTER in
Spanish
MEXICO
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish
4,610
Mexico City Red Nacional 13 IMEVISION Television in
Spanish
8,470
Mexico City REUTER in
English
730
NICARAGUA
Managua ANN in
Spanish
6,970
Managua PRENSA LATINA
Spanish
in
PERU
Lima REUTER in
English
Lima REUTER in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4
VENEZUELA
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
4,580
Caracas REUTER in
English
1,770
Caracas REUTER in
Spanish
100
TOTAL FOR AUGUST 1986
51,190
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120005-4