VCR RECORDING OF NEWS BROADCASTS ("12 CITIES" PROJECT)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000100160007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: January 30, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
VCR Recording of News Broadcasts ("12 Cities" Project)
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO. FBIS 0045/85 2
irector
Forei
B
d
t
,
gn
roa
cas
DATE
. Information Service
2927
30 January 1985
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
DATE
building)
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
1. Deputy Director for
Science and Technology
Room -6E4,5 Headquarters
2.
The attached is an FBIS
recommendation to proceed with
VCR recordings of newscasts and
3. Deputy Director for
special events on television in
Intelligence
12 major foreign cities specified
Room 7E47, Headquarters
in a memorandum from the DDI to
4.
the DDCI.' FBIS proposes to
accomplish this by using FBIS
bureaus
contractors
and
5' Executive Registry
,
,
priority air cargo shipment.
Room 7E12, Headquarters
Videotapes will be converted at
FBIS and delivered to OCR
6.
.
-
Executive Director
7' Deputy Director of
Central Intelligence
8.
9.
10.
11. Director, Foreign
Broadcast Information
Service
12. 1013 Key Building
13.
14.
15.
FORM 61 O USE PREVIOUS
1-79 EDITIONS
SECRET
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le..~ ~V' d Z tars a
FBIS-0045/85
30 January 1985
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH: Deputy Director for Science and Technology
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Executive Director
Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
SUBJECT: VCR Recording of News Broadcasts ("12 Cities" Project)
REFERENCE: Memo for DDCI fm DDI, Subj: Candidate Cities for VCR
Recording of News Broadcasts, dtd 11 Jan 85
1. We are prepared to move ahead rapidly to provide the Directorate
of Intelligence with VCR tapes of newscasts from the 12 major foreign
cities that have been specified and I am alerting our field bureaus to
make preparations to move ahead on this project. (To differentiate from
the live monitoring of foreign television at Langley and regular FBIS
coverage of foreign television with selective items, FBIS will refer to
this as the "12 cities" project.)
2. In the four instances where one of our field bureaus already has
access to TV broadcasts (Havana, Jerusalem, Tokyo, and Beijing), service
will be started by the bureau itself. For the other eight target cities,
personnel from the nearest FBIS bureau will visit the site to hire and
train contract personnel, arrange for equipment, and provide for trans-
portation.of the recordings. This will be done in coordination with U.S.
mission personnel on the scene.
3. We plan to begin with the main evening newscast and special
events at each site. This collection pattern can be altered or enlarged
as experience dictates. The personnel who do the actual monitoring and
recording--whether bureau personnel or contractor--will arrange for daily
priority air shipment of the recorded tapes. This will normally be done
under contract with air cargo forwarding firms, the fastest method short
of electronic transmission. The tapes will be sent to FBIS Headquarters
in Key Building where they will be converted to U.S. broadcast standard
and then forwarded to OCR's Graphic Services Branch.
All portions classified
SECRET.
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za I * ,. n-N .~ -
- , vsi' . e~ro
SUBJECT: VCR Recording of News Broadcasts ("12 Cities" Project)
4. I believe we can begin supplying recordings from bureaus where
we already have access to the target TV signal within 30 days. For the
locations where it will be necessary to hire contractors, service should
begin within 90 days. We plan to purchase equipment in the field to
shorten the start-up time. Backup equipment will be provided at each
site to ensure uninterrupted service.
5. Estimated start-up costs will be $255,600, with annual recurring
costs of about $534,200 (breakdown is at TAB A). Thus first year costs
will be an estimated $789,800. This is unfunded, but I recommend we
proceed with this project at this time to meet the needs of the DI.
Attachments:
A. Cost Estimates - "12 Cities"
Project
B. FBIS TV Activities - Overview
C. Schedule of Current Regular
FBIS TV Coverage
deputy Director for Science and Technology
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
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SUBJECT: VCR Recording of News Broadcasts ("12 Cities" Project)
DDS$T/FBIS~ I(30 Jan 85)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee (w/atts), Return D/FBIS
1 - ER (w/atts)
1 - EXDIR (w/atts)
1 - DDCI (w/atts)
2 - DDS$T (w/atts)
1 - DDI (w/atts)
1 - C/Ops (w/atts)
1 - PO/RA (w/atts)
1 - C/LRB (w/atts)
1 - C/MOD (w/atts)
1 - C/AS (w/atts)
1 - AG for (w/atts)
1 - D/FBIS rono (w/atts)
1 - JDC Corres file (w/atts)
1 - Television file (w/atts)
1 - FBIS Registry (w/atts)
~~ 3.- if'
`ACV/ lS,w? 1 ZaJ ,/ .~ '_y
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a ,w
COST ESTIMATE--"12-CITIES" TV PROJECT
Start-Up Costs
EQUIPMENT, FBIS HEADQUARTERS
2 TV Standards Converters (AVS 6500) $130,000
2 TV Receiver/Monitors, Quad-Standard, Color 2,500
2 TV Monitors, U.S.-Standard, Color 2,000
2 VCRs, Tri-Standard U-Matic (Sony 5630) 6,000
2 VCRs, U.S.-Standard U-Matic (Sony 5600) 5,000
Equipment Racks, Patch Panels, Cabinets 9,000
VEHICLE, FBIS HEADQUARTERS (Dodge Caravan) 10,000
EQUIPMENT, OVERSEAS
24 VCRs, Foreign-Standard U-Matic (equivalent
to Sony 5600, at $2350 each) 56,400
24 TV Receiver/Monitors, Foreign-Standard,
Color (at $1,060) 25,500
8 Antenna Systems 2,000
30-day Supply of U-Matic Videotapes 7,200
--------------------
Est Total Start-Up Costs
Annual Costs
PERSONNEL, FBIS HEADQUARTERS
2 TV Center Assistants (GS-7) 35,700
1 Clerk/Driver (GS-3) 11,500
PERSONNEL, OVERSEAS
8 TV Recording Specialists (Contract) 42,000
($3.60/hr x 4hr/da x 365 da/yr)
SERVICES, OVERSEAS
Air Express Cargo Fees ($100/da x 12 x 365) 438,000
$255,600
MISCELLANEOUS
Office Supplies, Electrical Supplies 5,000
Tape Replacement 2,000
--------------------
*Est Annual Cost, First Year (Without
Repair, Replacement of TV Equipment) $534,200
TOTAL, FIRST YEAR $789,800
*Subsequent annual costs approximately the same
USE SLY
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FBIS TELEVISION ACTIVITIES--AN OVERVIEW
FBIS is the major producer of foreign video material in the
government. Public television broadcasts of 21 countries are already
being monitored in response to consumer requirements. FBIS field bureaus
report to Headquarters by teletype and later forward the videotapes.
Contact with DI consumers is centralized in OCR Graphics Services Branch.
FBIS bureaus already regularly cover 310 hours of television a week
from 21 countries. This includes 27 hours a week from the USSR and 35
hours from China. The bureaus also provide ad hoc coverage of special
events from more than 10 additional countries not monitored on a regular
basis.
The bureaus use three principal means:
- Normal terrestrial antennas, which require a location close to
the transmitter,
- Reception by agencies of other governments, which record the
target signals (from North Korea and East Germany) and pass
them to FBIS; and
- Reception from satellite relays (mainly for Soviet and
Philippine TV, and for a number of countries covered ad hoc in
case of crises).
Soviet TV is monitored at London Bureau--in cooperation with the
BBC--and at Okinawa bureau by means of Receive-Only Satellite Earth
Terminal (ROSET) installations. Chinese TV is monitored at Hong Kong by
terrestrial antennas. The programs that the bureaus cover are determined
in advance and listed in a "coverage schedule."
A third ROSET installation has just gone into operation in Panama,
which will provide increased coverage not only of Latin America, but also
the Middle East and Europe.
The bureaus select over 30 programs a week to report to Headquarters
consumers in messages known as Video Selection Lists (VSLs). A
foreign-national monitor (translator) views the program at the same time
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it is being recorded noting program content. Next a U.S. staff editor
decides which programs or items to offer to consumers in VSLs, drawing
in part on the monitor's expertise and familiarity with the media. The
finished VSL is transmitted to Headquarters and to other U.S. consumer
offices overseas and in the United States. Most of the important politi-
cal and news material has usually been processed by FBIS from radio or
news agencies before it is broadcast on television. Therefore there is
usually little need for extensive translation from TV, and the VSL
concentrates on describing the video content. When a broadcast item is
uniquely important, reports may be passed on to consumers rapidly by the
FBIS Wire Service or the Daily Report.
3. CONSUMERS, AND SELECTION FROM VSLs
The VSLs transmitted by the bureaus are entered electronically into
the SAFE system at Headquarters and distributed by the Cable Dissemina-
tion Section, as well as being routed electronically to several consumers
in other agencies. A consumer who finds an item of interest in these
lists can obtain the tape by requesting it from OCR Graphics Services
Branch.
CIA offices which are major consumers of VSLs include OGI, OSWR,
SOYA, EURA, DDI/NESA, NPIC, DDO, OCR, OTE, OS, and the DDI TV Center.
Outside agencies that are major consumers include DIA, the Army Foreign
Science and Technology Center, and the Air Force Intelligence Service.
Consumers outside of CIA which receive VSLs electronically include DOE,
NSA, State Dept INR, USIA, and 12 military commands.
When a consumer notifies OCR/GSB that a given video tape is wanted
for viewing, the request is passed to FBIS Headquarters, which in turn
requests the tape from the field bureau. The tape is normally sent to
FBIS Headquarters by mail or pouch. It is passed to OCR and should reach
the first consumer office within two weeks of the request date.
However, selected important tapes are sent by special airline
courier services and are available to consumers within 1 or 2 days of
the original broadcast. The most important items of all are relayed
to Washington by international commercial satellite hookups and are
provided to analysts within 1 or 2 hours of the original broadcast time.
Three Moscow broadcasts last year, including Chernenko's reappearance in
September after being out-of sight for a time, and the Beijing transmis-
sion of China's National Day Parade, were relayed by satellite.
OCR/GSB is the main contact point for most consumers of FBIS video
tapes.
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SCHEDULE OF CURRENT REGULAR FBIS TV COVERAGE
1. Regular Coverage, Video and Audio
Time--GPfi Days Bureau Language Notes
Covered
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires Argentia Televisor Color Network
0000-0130 TWTFS Paraguay Spanish News: "30 Millions"
AUSTRIA
1830-1900 MTWTF Austria German News
BAHRAIN
1600-1625
1700-1725
1rreg
'I
Gulf
-1
English News
Arabic News
CHINA
1100-1400 daily Hong Kong Mandarin News and Program
CUBA
1200-1400 MTWTF Key West Spanish News and Commentary
"Revista de la Manana"
1800-1830 MTWTFS it Tele Rebelde Network
" " News
(Other programs 1400-0300 kept on watch, Main Network and Rebelde)
(Sun programs kept on watch 1200-2207)
CZE0IOSLOVAKIA
Bratislava Television Service
1940-2005 irreg Austria Slovak News
Prague Television Service
1830-1900 daily Austria Czech, Slovak News, Prague I
2030-2120 Tu " " " Military: (Additional programs on coverage, audio only) "Azimut"
HUNGARY
1900-1930 irreg Austria Hungarian Newsreel
(Additional programs on coverage, audio only)
IRAN
0930-1015
1700-1800
1099-1915
daily
II
Gulf
Arabic News and Features
Persian News
IRAQ
0930-1045 daily Gulf Persian
News, Commentary,
Review of Iran Oppo-
sition Press, Features
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Time--G%fF Days Bureau Language Notes
Covered
JAPAN
Tokyo NHK Television Network
0300-0320
daily
Okinawa
Japanese
News
1000-1020
it
It
if
it
1200-1240
MTWTFS
it
if
It
JORDAN
1800-1830
daily
Jordan
Arabic
News
2000-2030
if.
II
English
it
N. KOREA
0100-0400
irreg
Seoul
Korean
News
Features
0600-1430
it
it
it
,
It It'
PANAMA
Panama City Circuito RPC Television
1730-1800 MTWTFS Panama Spanish News: "Dia a Dia"
Panama City Telemetro Television
0100-0120 irreg Panama
Panama City Televisora Nacional
0000-0030 daily Panama
News: "Telemetro Reporta"
News: "Tevedos Informal'
PARAGUAY
Asuncion Cerro Cora Sistema Nacional Television
1500-1600 irreg Paraguay Spanish News: "Division Noticias"
2300-2400 it if " News : "Nora 20"
Asuncion Red Privada de Teledifusora Paraguaya
1500-1600 MTWTFS Paraguay Spanish News: "Noticiero 13"
2300-2400 ?u1'WTF it if "Noticiero 13," 2d edition
PHILIPPINES
Quezon City RPN Television Network
0930-1000
Sun
Okinawa
English, from satellite News
1100-1130
MTWTFS
if
if it " "Newswatch"
QUATAR
1730-1800
irreg
Gulf
Arabic
News, Commentary
SAUDI ARABIA
1645-1700
irreg
Gulf
Arabic
Press Review
1830-1900
daily
it
SYRIA
1730-1800
daily
Jordan
Arabic
News
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Time--G,\
Days
Covered
Bureau
Language Notes
USSR
0100-0200
Sun
r1N F
monthly
Okinawa
Russian Military: "I Serve the
Soviet Union"
News: "Morning Signoff"
Orbita 2
Space: "Man, Earth, Universe"
0415-0445
Sun
Feature: "Our Correspondents
Report"
0750-0850
monthly
Int'natl Affairs: "Studio 9"
0800-0830
Mon
Feature: "Affairs and People"
0800-0830
Sat
Commentary by "Political
Observer"
0845-0915
weekly
Feature: "Science and Life"
0845-0915
Thu
News: "Vremya
" Orbita 2
0930-1005
MTWTFS
,
News: "Vremya," Orbita 1
1130-1145
"
London
News: "Novosti," Moscow I
1130-1205
irreg
Okinawa
News: "Vremya," Orbita 2
1315-1325
daily
London
News, Moscow I
1315-1345
irreg
Defense: "On the Land, at
Sea, in the Sky"
1345-1400
M1VTF
Okinawa
News: "World Today
" Orbita 2
1400-1430
irreg
London
,
Feature: "Community"
1415-1430
Sat
"Intermatoinal Review"
1500-1530
ATTWTF
Okinawa
News: "Novosti," Moscow II
1500-1545
Sun
London
Feature: "International
Panorama"
1530-1605
153
irreg
Yuriy Zhokov Commentary
0-1610
daily
News: "Vremya," Moscow II
1545-1600
MTWTF
Feature: "World Today"
1600-1640
irreg
Feature: "The World and
"
Young People
1630-1640
irreg
News: "Novosti
" Moscow I
1630-1700
irreg
,
Feature: "Modern World and
Workers Movement"
1800-1830
daily
News: "Vremya," Moscow I
1800-1840
irreg
Okinawa
News: "Vremya
" Orbita 2
1905-1920
M 1IVTF
London
,
Feature: "World Today"
2010-2100
London BBC 1 Television Network
Mon London English Current Affairs:
"Panorama"
1830-1900 daily Austria
YUGOSLAVIA
Serbo-Croatian News
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2. Only TV Audio Now Being Covered
(Video Is Covered Ad Hoc)
(Video Not Now Available)
Cyprus
East Germany
Hong Kong
Israel
Guatemala
Honduras
Kenya
Nicaragua
Peru
Poland
South Africa
Swaziland
------------------------------------------
3. Ad Hoc Coverage Available
(By Terrestrial Antenna)
(Sometimes Possible--Satellite)
Egypt (seasonal)
Algeria
Morocco
Lebanon
Australia
Niger
S. Korea
Bangladesh
Nigeria
Thailand
Brunei
Oman
Turkey
Canada
Pakistan
W. Germany
France
Portugal
India
Singapore
Indonesia
Sudan
Kuwait
United Arab
Libya
Emirates
Malaysia
Zaire
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11 January 1985
NOTE TO: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
FROM Deputy Director for Intelligence
SUBJECT: Candidate Cities for VCR Recording of News Broadcasts
In response to our discussion) (last Monday night
and your tasking, I list below the twelve cities the offices
would regard as their top priorities for getting video cassette
recordings of news programs. They are listed in priority order.
Obviously, the sooner we could get the recordings after the
broadcast the more useful they would be. There is considerable
diversity of opinion in the Directorate about the value of such
recordings, but all agree that an experiment such as this would
help us move beyond speculation and opinion stage to having some
actual experience. My guess is there will be considerable
variation in utility, with some being of considerable value and
others not worth the effort.
Robert . Gates
All Portions are
Classified SECRET
STAT
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