DI FOREIGN TELEVISION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 20, 2012
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: February 19, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
D/FBIS Chrono
FBIS-1104/87
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Intelligence
THROUGH: Deputy Director for Science and Technology
FROM:
Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
SUBJECT: DI Foreign Television Collection Requirements
REFERENCE: Your Memo for DDSf,T, dtd 19 Nov 86, Same Subject
1. We appreciate receiving the restatement of Directorate of
Intelligence requirements for foreign television. Given the significant
resources and personnel that FBIS is devoting to television collection,
we welcome and encourage such expressions of interest as a means to
focus our efforts for the maximum benefit. FBIS officers have been
working closely with OIR's Ir ormation Services Division and Visual
Media Branch to respond to these requirements as fully as possible.
Present Capabilities
2. In addition to the television FBIS has been providing from the
Langley dish, the "Cities" program, and the Video Selection List
process, since 12 January INTERNET has been in operation providing
Moscow and Tripoli newscasts live to the OIR TV grid, as well as
responding to d hoc requests. BBC newscasts will be added as soon as
questions of copyright/political sensitivities are resolved through the
encoding of INTERNET signals. We hope to accomplish this within the
next several months.
3. Once the current frequency allocation issue is resolved and
Panama Bureau is able to join the INTERNET system, that bureau will be
able to provide real-time relays from Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, and
Chile and expand our capability to respond to ad hoc situations.
4. While FBIS will continue tc make every effort to increase its
television output, prospects are clouded by operational, technical, and
budgetary considerations.
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
SUBJECT: DI Foreign Television Collection Requirements
S. Your officers have made West Europe a high-priority target,
but there is only a very limited amount of West European television
presently available from either satellite or direct monitoring at our
bureaus. Plans by some European countries to launch direct broadcast
satellites in 1987 have been announced, but it is difficult to predict
how much TV will ultimately be on satellite and when. Plans in Europe
to encode satellite TV broadcasts also raise questions about the future
monitoring of domestic TV services. We are presently investigating
various ways in which we might be able to acquire additional West
European television, possibly through subscribing to the Belgian cable
TV network, which carries stations France, West Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, and UK, as wel l as e gium. eal-time relays
woouu rdequire an INTERNET capability, either at a new FBIS facility or
through some other arrangement.
6. Our future planning includes a Phase TI of INTERNET, which
would provide real-time relays of Japan and PRC TV, but we do not
foresee implementing this phase in the near term due to budget
constraints. Prospects for acquiring real-time delivery of regular TV
programming from other priority countries listed in your memo (North
Korea, South Korea, Philippines, Nicaragua, South Africa) are more
remote since t eir domestic television services are not monitorable from
any of our present or projected ROSET or INTERNET sites. Expansion of
the "Cities" program to provide East European television is possible,
but the required high expenditure of resources does not appear to be
warranted by the low priority assigned by your officers. This
requirement will need further discussion.
English-language Synopses/Translations
7. We have a cadre of officers with the necessary language skills
and experience able to provide translation support as required. After
our relocation in Reston, our INTERNET Control Center will be the focal
point for analysts to request such processing. This has been discussed
and coordinated with the TV representatives of your various offices,
including OCPAS and the DI TV Center, and they agree that this is an
acceptable arrangement.
Coordination on Requirements
8. We will continue to work closely with your offices to ensure
that we collectively respond to your requirements in the most cost
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
SUBJECT: DI Foreign Television Collection Requirements
effective manner. I will continue to meet periodically with D/OIR to
present our plans and to discuss anticipated changes to your
requirements.
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8
SUBJECT: DI Foreign Television Collection Requirements
C/ICCS/FBI fw ext 2944 (19Feb87)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
2 - DDS$T
1 - DDS$T Registry
7 - Retained in FBIS
4-- D/FBIS Chrono
1 - RWM Corres File
1 - FBIS/Registry (Clay)
1 - Distribution Copy
1 - C/Ops
1 - C/MOD
1 - C/ICCS
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/20: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100020012-8