PROPAGANDA ALERTS FOR USIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000200220035-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 2010
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: July 23, 1985
• Content Type: CABLE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/01: CIA-RDP88-00733R000200220035-1
' 'TGOING MESSAGE/ADMIN FORM
(ADDRESSES) (PRECEDENCE)
STAT ALL BUREAUS (except SA) Z
0
FL NC P
PA AB R X
SK GF
OW LD X
BK PY
HK SA
AU MB
STAT JN DW
TA
7/23/85
CONCURRENCES: COMM. OPERATOR
STAT
MESSAGE BFN: (COMCENTER USE ONLY)
SUBJECT: PROPAGANDA ALERTS FOR USIA
1. RE OUR DISCUSSION DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON, WE
HAVE NOW HELD TALKS HERE WITH USIA ON THEIR DESIRE FOR
PROPAGANDA ALERTS. THE PROCEDURE: ITEMS WOULD BE FLAGGED
BY YOUR EDITORS, "PROPAGANDA ALERT." THE ITEMS WILL THEN
BE CARRIED ON OUR WIRE SERVICE, WITH THE FLAG, AND WILL BE
PULLED BY USIA (AND POSSIBLY OTHER AGENCIES) FOR COUNTER-
ACTION. PURPOSE IS TO ALERT USIA AND OTHER RECIPIENTS IN
ORDER TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY TO SIGNIFICANT SOVIET
ALLEGATIONS. SUGGEST MATERIAL BE FILED AT LEAST AT PRIORITY
PRECEDENCE. THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY
USIA; PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU FEEL THERE IS ANYTHING THAT NEEDS
CLARIFICATION. IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH USIA, WE AGREED THAT
WE SHOULD SIMPLY GO AHEAD AND TRY IT. IF PROBLEMS DEVELOP,
WE CAN SORT THEM OUT LATER. THE CRITERIA:
FORM
54271
-84
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2. GENERAL GUIDELINES:
A. SIGNIFICANT INITIAL COMMENTARY ON U.S. OR
SOVIET POLICY INITIATIVES (NOT RPT NOT INITIAL REPORTING
THAT THE INITIATIVE TOOK PLACE).
B. SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS IN PROPAGANDA LINE OR
IMPORTANT RPT IMPORTANT ISSUES.
C. MAJOR NEW OR RESURRECTED ALLEGATIONS OF U.S.
MALEVOLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
D. STATEMENTS WHICH COULD INSPIRE A PHYSICAL
THREAT TO USG PERSONNEL OVERSEAS.
E. MAJOR NEW OR RESURRECTED ATTACKS ON U.S.
DOMESTIC SOCIETY, CULTURE, OR POLITICS.
3. DEFINITIONS:
A. LIMIT FLAGGING ONLY TO ITEMS THAT APPEAR IN
THE CENTRAL MEDIA OR INTERNATIONAL BEAMS.
B. A SIGNIFICANT ITEM IS ONE IN WHICH AN
AUTHORITATIVE SOVIET SPOKESMAN MAKES A PRONOUNCEMENT ABOUT
A KEY ISSUE IN A MAJOR MEDIUM OR SETTING.
C. A MAJOR SHIFT IS A REVERSAL OF THE PRESENT
PROPAGANDA LINE, THE INTRODUCTION OF MAJOR NEW ELEMENTS TO
THE CURRENT LINE, OR THE DROPPING OF IMPORTANT ELEMENTS.
D. IMPORTANT ISSUES ARE BASICALLY THOSE THAT MAKE
THE FRONT PAGE OF THE N.Y. TIMES OR WASHINGTON POST--E.G.,
TWA HIJACKING, GENEVA TALKS, SDI.
E. INITIAL COMMENTARY IS THE FIRST ANALYTICAL
STATEMENT FROM ANY CENTRAL MEDIA SOURCE ON AN INITIATIVE.
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4. SOME EXAMPLES OF ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE FLAGGED:
A. THE GORBACHEV NUCLEAR ARMS MORATORIUM PROPOSAL.
B. SOVIET REACTION TO PRESIDENT REAGAN'S INTERIM
RESTRAINTS DECISION.
C. SOVIET INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS ON TWA HIJACKING.
D. SOVIET ATTACKS ON U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY DURING
THE OTTAWA HREM.
E. INITIAL SOVIET CHARGES OF U.S. COMPLICITY IN THE
GANDHI ASSASSINATION.
5. WIRE OR CALL ME IF THE ABOVE IS NOT UNDERSTANDABLE.
IF AGREEABLE, SIMPLY NOTIFY ME WHEN YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING.
USIA ANTICIPATES THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE OR TWO FLAGGINGS A
WEEK. ONLY THE FIRST FILED ITEM NEED BE FLAGGED; FOLLOWUP
MATERIAL ON SAME SUBJECT NEED NOT BE FLAGGED.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/01: CIA-RDP88-00733R000200220035-1