HEMISPHERE TV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01634R000300030003-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2000
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 22, 1956
• Content Type: MF

For Official Use Only
Approved For Release 2/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-01634R000300
OPERATIONS COORDINATING BOARD
Washington 25, D. C.
October 22, 1956
MEMORANDUM FOR MEMBERS OCB WORKING GROUP ON LATIN AMERICA
SUBJECTS Hemisphere TV
Because of the great interest of the Working Group in the above subject,
and the frequent discussions of the subject in the Working Group meetings,
I quote below a recent statement by Mr. Albert F. Watters, Vice President
in Charge of the International Division of Radio Corporation of America,
showing that that Company has this problem very much in mind and well in hands
"We are constantly working toward the expansion of television
and its associated relay facilities in Latin America so that as
quickly as possible hemispheric television will become a reality.
RCA has been in the forefront in encouraging Latin American stations
to use American television standards which are so essential for the
interchange of live programs.
We are giving the Mexican broadcasters and the Cuban broad-
casters special technical help to permit them to furnish programs
to the U.S. microwave relay system. NBC, through its Wide World
program, has been instrumental in bringing programs from Mexico
and Cuba to the United States. We are developing new equipment
which will make relaying of television programs much less costly
than in the United States and therefore more practical for Latin
Americao
""RCA has been instrumental in introducing television in Brazil,
Cuba, Dominican, Republica Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay,
and Venezuelarl* We are working closely with the other Latin Ameri-
can countries to encourage them, by means of television demonstra-
tions, to introduce this great new medium of education and enter--
ta n East to their peoples. Our experience has shown that with
the advent of television in a country or area, plans for expansion
follow naturally and quickly within the country and to its neighbors."
You will recall that the USIA report on TV activities, summarized as
Attachr+icnt 1 of the minutes of the August 16 Working Group meeting.,
listed Nicaragua as one of the seven LA countries in which there were
no stations in June 1956, and listed Venezuela as the only LA country
using the Argentine 625 :?.ine-6 Mc/s Bandwidth-25-frame system.
R. P. Crenshaw,, Jr.
0CB Staff Representative
Approved For Release 2000/08/27: CIA-RDP78-01634R00030(bo el Use Only
USIA declassification & release instructions on file