MONTHLY REPORT--PANAMA BUREAU--FEBRUARY 1982

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000100120008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 2, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: March 5, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

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FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PANAMA BUREAU
DRAWER 927
APO MIAMI 34004
5 March 1982
MPA #0008
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau -- February 1982
I. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial/Editorial
STAT
2. The Costa Rican elections on 7 February were the second in a
long series of spring elections through Central and South America. Com-
ing up are votes in Guatemala (7 March), Colombia (14 March and 30 May),
El Salvador (28 March), the Dominican Republic (16 May) and Mexico (4
July).
3. The new bilingual FBIS contractor in Tegucigalpa, STAT
at mid-month began providing the Bureau with readings from the STAT
press and recordings from TV and radio. STAT
. BBC Monitoring Service Editor for News and Publications,) STAT
visited the Bureau for orientation on FBIS field operations e- STAT
tore going to Washington for discussions on MIDAS. brought STAT
with him expanded BBC requirements for reporting from Latin erica, ex-
panded press requirements (all AFP, LATIN and REUTER items), and require-
ments for all PRIORITY and higher precedence items from all sources.
5. Damage to a major ANTEL switching center in El Salvador caused
by a guerrilla attack indirectly affected our remote circuits for some two
weeks, when repair crews blocked signals with unintentional line noise.
6. Panama's INTEL reported that a two-way dedicated circuit from
Panama City to Mexico City would cost $84,000 a year. A less expensive
circuit, costing some $40,000 a year, can be had by extending our existing
circuit from Guatemala City.
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7. Cruising and coverage developments in February included the
following:
+ The only known political party program. on Salvadoran ra-
dio, weekly 20-minute National Conciliation Party program broadcast on
Wednesdays, was added to coverage at least until the 28 March elections.
The name of the program is "The Hour of Truth."
j + Throughout the month the Nicaraguan weekly "Face the People"
meetings were not broadcast live over Managua Domestic Service on Friday
evenings or in an edited fashion over the Sistema Sandinista Television
Network on Monday evenings. The Bureau contractor in Managua confirmed
that the meetings had been held in different locations throughout the coun-
try and that no explanation had been given for the abrupt suspension of
radio and television coverage.
+ Extensive cruising of radio stations in the Eastern Carib-
bean was accomplished at the request of Key West Bureau. The only two sta-
tions in the area that were audible during the cruising period were St
Georges Domestic Service on 15045 Khz (fair) and Georgetown Domestic Ser-
vice on 5950 Khz (poor).
+ Another anti-Castro clandestine station, the "Voice of Cuban
Progressive Youth," was heard on 6998 Khz at 0250-0330 GMT on 20 and 23
February with fair to poor reception. No coverage is planned for this sta-
tion, which broadcasts anti-Castro commentaries and news.
+ An updated list of PRENSA LATINA correspondents was pouched
to Headquarters during the month.
B. Communications
1. The Panama Automated Relay was out for a total of 13 hours 10
min during the month, including an 8-hour outage on 7 February. According
to the U.S. Army Communications Command, PAR is to be eliminated in 1983,
at which time its subscribers will be rehomed to Ft Detrick or another
stateside ASC. Elimination of the PAR computer will be a welcome relief.
Outmoded software has imposed severe restrictions on the Bureau, especial-
ly in heading formats, which have slowed copy and increased teletypist
workloads. USACC reports that UNIVAC has refused to service the PAR compu-
ter after this year, and a software freeze has been imposed at PAR.
2. Servicing problems on our Telex resulted in a 51-hour outage
which began during a PAR outage and put the Bureau entirely out of business
for a while.
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3. The Bureau's Communications Section was severely pressed dur-
ing the month when Teletypist had to take extended sick STAT
leave after damaging a nerve in her finger while on annual leave. An op-
eration to restore the nerve followed by physical therapy may be required.
II. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
1, began preemployment processing STAT
during the month and will be offered a position as Spanish monitor trainee
if she completes it successfully, One of two other candidates, selected
from among 87 who applied for the position, will be selected in early
March to fill a, second monitor position which will become open in May when
Spanish Monitor
retires . STAT
2. Senior Spanish Monitor
retired effective STAT
COB 19 February after more than 23 years of service with FBIS. STAT
was feted at a bureau party given by her colleagues on 13 February and was
awarded an FBIS retirement plaque and the FBIS Career Medal for distinguish-
ed service at a small bureau ceremony on the 19th.
B. Building and Grounds
1. a mechanical engineer visiting from Headquar- STAT
ters at the bureau s reques , arrived at d n to study the bureau
airconditioning system. It is hoped that will be able to make re-STAT
commendations that will result in more efficient use of the airconditioning
plant.
2. Two large brush fires roared through the bureau antenna field
during the month. No damage resulted, but the fire department was called
on both occasions to keep the blaze under control.
C. Other
Mr James H. Woods of the Latin America Branch, International Divi-
sion, General Accounting Office, visited the bureau 9 February to discuss
costs and savings to the bureau in FY 81 in connection with implementation
of the Panama Canal Treaties.
III. VISITS
To the Bureau: Maj Frank Field, 4th Psyops Group, Ft Bragg, North
Carolina; Mr James H. Woods, Latin America Branch, International Divi-
sion, General Accounting Office; Editor for News and STAT
Publications, BBC Monitoring Ser Headquarters En- STAT
gineer.
From the Bureau: Bureau Chief to Ltc Manny Fernandez, Planning
Officer U.S. Southcom Treaty Affairs Staff.
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IV. COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
A reception was held at the Bureau on 26 February to mark the 41st
anniversary of FBIS. Longevity certificates were presented to a number
of Bureau employees on the occasion.
STAT
Chief, Panama Bureau,
Attachment:
Monthly Production Report
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PANAMA BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 1982
I. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 358,140
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 15,690
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH: 1,045
BROAD PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 8,245 48,630 111.00
(minutes or issues per week) min min issues
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires LATIN in
Spanish
Buenos Aires TELAM in
Spanish
Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS in
Spanish
AUSTRIA
Vienna OPECNA in
Spanish
COLOMBIA
Bogota Domestic Service in
Spanish 6,210
Bogota Emisoras Caracol Network in
Spanish 2,730
Bogota Cadena Radial Super in
Spanish 3,550
Bogota Radio Cadena Nacional in
Spanish 2,460
(CLANDESTINE)
Radio Venceremos in
Spanish to el Salvador 25,630
Radio Farabundo Marti in
Spanish to El Salvador 16,210
Radio 15 September in
Spanish to Nicaragua 4,900
COSTA RICA
San Jose Radio Reloj in
Spanish
San Jose Domestic Service in
Spanish
7,570
2,440
STAT
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San Jose LA NACION in
Spanish
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
CUBA
Havana International Service in
2,880
Spanish
Havana Domestic Service in
Spanish
Havana PRELA in
English
Havana PRELA in
Spanish
10,280
4,910
4,560
3,920
ECUADOR
Quito Voz de los Andes in
Spanish
7,070
Quito Cadena Ecuador Radio in
Spanish
380
Quito Domestic Service in
Spanish
2,090
Quito Diplomatic Information Service in
Spanish
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Domestic Service
Spanish
in
2,380
San Salvador Cadena YSKL in
Spanish
190
San Salvador Cadena Sonora in
Spanish
840
San Salvador EL DIARIO DE HOY
Spanish
in
10,690
San Salvador EL MUNDO in
Spanish
2,300
San Salvador LA PRENSA GRAFICA
Spanish
in
6,860
San Salvador DIARIO LATINO in
Spanish
1,510
San Salvador THE NEWS GAZETTE in
English
0
FRANCE
Paris AFP in
English
4,140
Paris AFP in
Spanish
23,320
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
GUATEMALA
Guatemala City Radio Nuevo Mundo in
Spanish
1,660
Guatemala City Radio Television Guatemala in
Spanish
5,110
Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras
Spanish
Unidas in
3,140
Guatemala City Trecevision in
Spanish
470
Guatemala City DIARIO DE CENTRO AMERICA in
Spanish
Guatemala City EL IMPARCIAL in
Spanish
Guatemala City PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish
Guatemala City EL GRAFICO in
Spanish
HONDURAS
Tegucigalpa
Spanish
Domestic Service in
2,020
Tegucigalpa
Spanish
Voz de Honduras in
6,190
Tegucigalpa
Spanish
Cadena Audio Video in
6,380
San Pedro Sula TIEMPO in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa EL HERALDO in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa LA TRIBUNA in
Spanish
MEXICO
Mexico City International Service in
Spanish
1,220
NICARAGUA
Managua International Service in
Spanish 1,120
Managua Domestic Service in
Spanish 21,920
Managua Radio Sandino in
Spanish 16,160
Managua Radio Sandino Network in
Spanish 14,310
1,860
630
800
STAT
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Managua Radio Corporacion in
Spanish 10,930
Managua Sistema Sandinista Television Network in
Spanish
Managua ANN Diplomatic Information Service in
Spanish
Managua BARRICADA in
Spanish
Managua EL NUEVO DIARIO in
Spanish
Managua LA PRENSA in
Spanish
3,510
1,050
2,760
4,010
7,490
PANAMA
Panama City Domestic Service in
Spanish
Panama City Televisora Nacional in
Spanish
Panama City Circuito RPC Television in
Spanish
1,620
8,520
1,860
Panama City ACAN in
Spanish
Panama City CRITICA in
17,240
Spanish
2,050
Panama City LA ESTRELLA DE PANAMA in
Spanish
7,740
Panama City STAR & HERALD in
English
50
Panama City LA PRENSA in
Spanish
3,010
Panama City LA REPUBLICA in
English
0
Panama City LA REPUBLICA in
Spanish
2,240
Panama City MATUTINO in
Spanish
7,930
Panama City YA in
Spanish
Panama City DIALOGO SOCIAL in
Spanish
1,060
PERU
Lima EL COMERCIO in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
13,040
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
2,060
UNITED KINGDOM
London REUTER in
English
London REUTER in
French
VENEZUELA
Caracas Radio Continente Network in
Spanish
Caracas Radio Rumbos Network in
Spanish
1,990
STAT
STAT
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