MONTHLY REPORT--PANAMA BUREAU--JANUARY 1982

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000100120009-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 2, 2008
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: February 5, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

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FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PANAMA BUREAU
DRAWER 927
APO MIAMI 34004
5 February 1982
MPA #0003
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau -- January 1982
I. GENERAL
A. Monitor Recruiting -- The recruiting process to fill two up-
coming monitorial vacancies proceeded through the month. From more
than 70 applications received in response to our advertisement, about
20 applicants, considered to have sufficient potential on the basis
of resumes, were selected for testing. This process is nearing com-
pletion. Although no truly outstanding candidates have been found
thus far, several appear to merit further discussion regarding a job
offer.
B. Highway Construction -- It was discovered at month's end
that despite refusal of the U.S. side to grant permission for Pana-
manian crews totransit the Bureau's antenna field, survey work for
the Pacific Coast Highway was moving ahead. The survey crews, which
were crossing the antenna field in spite of the ban, had already mark-
ed out a path for the road passing along the southern edge of the an-
tenna field. Although a definite improvement over the route change
for the road submitted by the Panamanian side in November, the new
path will still cause emission and security problems for the bureau.
We reported the survey activity to the Southcom Treaty Affairs Staff
and were assured again the U.S. side would not approve any route for
the new road which would adversely affect bureau operations.
C. Editor Training Program -- The Bureau's Editorial Training/
Evaluation Program has been modified considerably with the new year
by the new training officer, Among the changes are:
a. A restructuring of the program itself, within the basic
12 week/ 3 phase system, to reflect MIDAS and to achieve a more logi-
cal transition, in exposure and training, from the relatively simple
to the more complex elements in field operations and slotwork.
b. A new set of training materials, involving written gui-
dance linked wherever possible to concrete examples and ranging from
operational aspects--selection, precedence, formats, FYI's/service
messages, flags, slugs and editing--to shift supervision and relations
STAT
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with local staff.
c. An updated series of some 20 training exercises, many of
them timed, intended to simulate real experience and sequenced to re-
flect the new "simple-to-complex" program structure.
d. A 1-hour closed book written examination, taken in the
4th week, to give both trainee and supervisor an accurate assessment
of the trainee's knowledge to date.
e. A revamping of the evaluation system, including revision
of the evaluation questionnaire used in the 7th and 10th weeks to more
accurately reflect necessary skills, knowledge and conduct.
II. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. An agreement was signed with ICA in Tegucigalpa, Honduras,
on 31 January providing the services of an ICA local employee to record
and feed selected radio and tv programming and newspaper articles via
our remote circuit. This arrangement is similar to arrangements with
the Embassies in Managua and San Salvador. Problems with the telephone
equipment in Tegucigalpa have delayed the start of the feeds. We ex-
pect these to be resolved shortly.
2. The bureau's coverage of clandestine stations expanded again
with the appearance over one weekend of two new Salvadoran clandestines--
one, Radio Farabundo Marti, broadcasting twice daily for the Popular Lib-
eration Forces faction of the F1; and the other, Radio Unity, broad-
casting only on weekends. Marti has proved to be reliably heard and pro-
ductive; Radio Unity is poorly heard and deals mainly with local issues_.
Meanwhile, the clandestine anti-Castro station Radio Mambi,-was dropped
from coverage on the advice of FCS.
3. Two press agencies continue of interest: One is the Vienna
OPECNA Spanish-language cast carried by Madrid EFE, which provides the
translation. The initial impression is that this service carries some
unique items on regional petroleum affairs.
4. The bureau continues the unsuccessful search for a produc-
tive Venezuelan radio newscast. Another Radio Rumbos cast was dropped
after producing three items during the month. This lack of primary cov-
erage continues to be a source of concern.
STAT
STAT
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5. The highlight of operational action during the month was
the 27 January hijacking of a Colombian Aerotal Boeing 727 with 128
passengers. The bureau maintained open watch on Colombian, Panamanian
and Cuban radios during the 2-day hijacking, which required one mid-
shift. The hijackers, after freeing all their hostages, finally flew
to Cuba.
6. The hijacking occured on the same day as the inauguration
of the new president of Honduras. Extensive coverage of this event
by the Honduran media had already provided the bureau with a wealth
of items awaiting processing, including interviews with the principals
from the three countries which had a few days earlier established the
new Central American Democratic Community--apparently aimed at Nica-
ragua. Visiting Nicaraguan coordinator Daniel Ortega, attempting re-
conciliation with the new regime, got into a live brouhaha with the
Honduran press, which criticized him strongly.
7. Coverage of Ecuador was expanded to watch the deteriorat-
ing Ecuadorean political situation as the leadership fell apart over
personal issues leading to mass governmental and military resignations.
B. Communications
The bureau's Auto din line as finally restored STAT
to full operation.
C. Lateral Services
1. In response to a request from Liaison and Requirements
Branch, the bureau reviewed consumer requirements for local services
and filed a revised list to Headquarters. One consumer was found to
have been serviced for some time without a formal submission of re-
quirements.
2. The bureau responded to two requests for special materials
for Southcom CINC Lt Gen Nutting during the month. With a very able
assist from FCS we were able to provide within a matter of hours up-to-
date figures on Cuban and Soviet broadcasting to Latin America for a-
speech the general was making the next day. A second request, for a
compilation of materials filed on a conference on racial discrimina-
tion held in Managua in December, was relayed through the Embassy Po-
litical Section. A full response was provided.
D. Technical
The bureau Chief and Chief Technician paid a visit to the local
Canon representative 28 January for a demonstration of the new Canon
facsimile telecopier. The reproductive quality of this equipment appear-
ed good enough to warrant additional testing on our Central American remote
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circuit. The dealer has agreed informally to loan us two machines for
this purpose. Headquarters' views have been requested.
A. Personnel
1. Bureau local employees were hit with a substantial increase
in health insurance rates 1 January. Employee and employer premiums in-
creased approximately 91 % and 12% respectively for bureau employees un-
der the family plan and 93% and 14% for those under single converage.
2. A new Panama Area Wage Base, which applies to bureau em-
ployees hired after 30 September 1979, became effective 10 January. The
new wage base provides for annual step increases of approximately 2% per
year was well as annual 2% increase in the wage base itself. Only two
bureau employees are affected by the change. New wage schedules were
pouched to Headquarters.
3. Editor ~ arrived 4 January to participate in the
bureau's 12-week editorial training/evaluation program.
STAT
4. Editor) received a well-deserved promotion to STAT
GS-12 Senior Editor effective 10 January.
5. Monitor Supervisor) re uested an additional
60 days leave without pay during the mont . has been on annual
leave and LWOP since mid-December. The request has been forwarded to
Headquarters for approval.
6. Spanish Monitor has begun paperwork for
retirement in early May. The appropriate documents will be forwarded
to Headquarters when completed.
B. Buildings and Grounds
A 3-day visit to the bureau by
proved most useful to all concerned.
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
12-15 January STAT
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V. CCH4JNITY ACTIVITIES
A. Bureau personnel contributed clothing and other essentials to
aid victims of a disastrous fire which swept through a crowded residen-
tial area of Panama City during the month leaving hundreds of persons
homeless with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
B. es celebrated the beginning of the annual dry
season and promotion at a reception held in the bohio next
to the operations building 25 January.
Chief, Panama Bureau, FBIS
attachments:
Monthly Production Report
Operations Attachment
Engineering Attachment
STAT
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OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT
PANAMA BUREAU MONTHLY REPORT JANUARY 1982
Cruising observations and projects during the month included:
1. With the upcoming elections the Salvadoran regime has started to
loosen its restrictions on local reporting bu the broadcast media,
and the radio and television stations are slowly beginning to broad-
cast local reports. A watch is also being maintained for any worth-
while political party programs.
2. ( Clandestine ) Radio 15 September in Spanish to Nicaragua, has
expanded its 45-min 0300GMT newscats to 0430 W. A report on the
new sections being featured in this newscast was filed.
3. Efforts to find a political party cast of monitoring interest in
Costa Rica in view of the upcoming elections were unsuccessful. Only
publicity-type material is being aired.
4. Following a productive sample period the 0050-0130 GMT evening
cast of Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras Unidas was added to cover-
age. The 1720-1730 GMT newscast of the Central American network
SERCANO was also sampled during the month, but did not merit regu-
lar coverage.
5. Updated observations were also made on Caracas Radio Runbos Net-
work and on the two Central American radio networks, SERCANO and OIR.
6. Paris AFP in Spanish was observed carrying a weekly cast entitled
"MAGAZINE" at 0500-0700 GMT on Wednesday. The cast is devoted to
cultural and intellectual events and developments in Europe and Latin
America.
7. Updated observations were filed regarding piggyback services trans-
mitted by main and feeder press agency circuits as follows:
a. Buenos Aires LATIN - The New Work Times Service
b. Madrid EFE - Vienna OPECNA in Spanish
c. Havana PRELA in Spanish - The POOL of the news agencies of the
nonaligned countries, and the New Delhi, Lima and Managua ANN Dip-
lomatic Information Services.
STAT
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PANAMA BUREAU MONTHLY REPORT FOR JANUARY 1982
ACCOUNTABLE PROPERTY
Received:
1. One Extel ASR's, Model 315-PS-8K, Serial No.0236189, Requisition
No.0532-81121-011-1F. Received 31 December 1981. Unit Price:
$5,211.94.
2. Two each Stelma Modem, Model 674(P)/G Serial No.65 and. No.783.
Requisition No.0532-81168-014-iF. Received 22 January. Unit Price:
$710.00.
3. Three EDS Dual Recorder Timers, Model DRC-313A, Serial Nos: 205,
204, and 203. Received 31 December 1981. Unit Price: $624.00
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PANAMA BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR JANUARY 1982
I. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 345,860
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 15,020
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FIELD:DURING MONTH: 1,067
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 8,015 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 290
Bogota Emisoras Caracol Network in
Spanish 5,830
Bogota Cadena Radial Super in
Spanish 5,200
Bogota Radio Cadena Nacional in
Spanish 3,230
Bogota Radio Santa Fe in
Spanish 700
(CLANDESTINE)
Radio Venceremos in
Spanish to El Salvador 25,670
Radio Unity in
Spanish to El Salvador 580
Radio Farabundo Marti in
Spanish to El Salvador 5,210
Radio 15 September in
Spanish to Nicaragua 5,530
1,070
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BROAD-
CASTS
PRESS
AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
COSTA RICA
San Jose Radio Reloj in
Spanish
6,510
San Jose LA NACION in
Spanish
CUBA
Havana International Service in
Spanish
8,480
Havana PRELA in
English
Havana PRELA in
Spanish
8,880
ECUADOR
Quito Voz de los Andes in
Spanish
10,350
Quito Cadena Ecuador Radio in
Spanish
4,190
Quito Domestic Service in
Spanish
4,460
Quito Diplomatic Information Service in
Spanish
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Domestic Service in
Spanish
2,390
San Salvador YSR Television Service in
Spanish
220
San Salvador Cadena YSKL in
Spanish
2,710
San Salvador EL DIARIO DE HOY in
Spanish
6,050
San Salvador EL MUNDO in
Spanish
3,670
San Salvador LA PRENSA GRAFICA in
Spanish
5,420
San Salvador DIARIO LATINO in
Spanish
650
San Salvador THE NEWS GAZETTE in
English
2;.720
FRANCE
Paris AFP in
English
1,140
Paris AFP in
Spanish
33,340
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
GUATEMALA
Guatemala City Radio Nuevo Mundo in
Spanish 950
Guatemala City Radio Television Guatemala in
Spanish 3,920
Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras Unidas in
Spanish 3,530
Guatemala City Radio Horizonte in
Spanish 120
Guatemala City DIARIO DE CENTROAMERICA in
Spanish
Guatemala City EL IMPARCIAL in
Spanish
Guatemala City PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish
Guatemala City DIARIO EL GRAFICO in
Spanish
HONDURAS
Tegucigalpa Domestic Service in
Spanish 14,440
Tegucigalpa Voz de Honduras in
Spanish 3,400
Tegucigalpa Cadena Audio Video in
Spanish 3,870
San Pedro Sula TIEMPO in
Spanish
MEXICO
Mexico City International Service in
Spanish
NICARAGUA
Managua International Service in
Spanish 2,080
Managua Domestic Service in
Spanish 8,000
Managua Radio Sandino in
Spanish 31,330
Managua Radio Sandino Network in
Spanish 9,870
Managua Radio Corporacion in
Spanish 14,780
Managua Sistema Sandinista Television Network in
Spanish 6,930
Managua ANN Diplomatic Information Service in
Spanish
1,680
0
1,410
1,390
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BROAD- PRESS
CASTS AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
Managua BARRICADA in
Spanish
3,480
Managua EL NUEVO DIARIO in
Spanish
1,740
Managua LA PRENSA in
Spanish
1,450
PANAMA
Panama City Domestic Service in
Spanish
150
Panama City Televisora Nacional in
Spanish
7,110
Panama City Circiuito RPC Television in
Spanish
4,280
Panama City ACAN in
Spanish
21,770
Panama City CRITICA in
Spanish
1,890
Panama City LA ESTRELLA DE PANAMA in
Spanish
3,080
Panama City LA PRENSA in
Spanish
5,430
Panama City LA REPUBLICA in
English
0
Panama City LA REPUBLICA
Spanish
in
1,210
Panama City MATUTINO in
Spanish
2,200
PERU
Lima EL COMERCIO in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
13,380
UNITED KINGDOM
London REUTER in
English
London REUTER in
French
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Rnanigh
2,350
4,440
VENEZUELA
Caracas Radio Continente Network in
Spanish
Caracas Radio Rumbos Network in
Spanish
Caracas Domestic Service in
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
STAT
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