MEMORANDUM OF MEETING: WORKING GROUP - COMMITTEE ON BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION (COBAT)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01634R000300030018-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2000
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: May 1, 1956
• Content Type: MIN

Approved For Release,&P00/08/27: CIA-RDP7 - -
SECRET
OPERATIONS COORDINATING BOARD
Washington 25, D. C.
May 1, 1956
MEMORANDUM OF MEETING; Working Group - Committee on Broadcasting and
Television (COBAT)
14th Meeting held 2 p.m., April 30, 1956
OCB Conference Room
WORKING GROUP MEMBERS PRESENT:
USIA - Robert E. Button, Chairman
ICA Gerald Winfield
STATE - T. H. E. Nesbitt (TPIB)
CIA .. Representative
OCB - Ralph R. Busick
Marjorie Denny
1. The Minutes of the April 23rd meeting were adopted as written.
2. Discussion was held on the joint TPIB-COBAT paper submitted to the
Board Assistants April 27. The State Department Representative (TPIB Chair-
man) advise t/hat thee-State Department was/now exploring other channels.
VA 5 3. With reference to the priority project of a broadcasting station for
Libya, the ICA Representative reported that there were no F.Y.'56 funds avail-
able; but that it could be part of the 1957 program; guidance and sugges-
tions for a broadcasting station had been requested from the field and were
now being prepared by ICA. Discussion brought out agreement on the fact that
such a project must include a training program. Also, it was agreed that if
the available mobile unit was used it should be on a loan basis, but if a
fixed installation was utilized, this should be purchased.
L. The question was again brought up as to whether the coverage of
Africa should be considered in U. S. technical planning. The Chairman sug-
gested that the State Department should prepare papers to USIA on any area
where broadcasting coverage might be helpful whether it be Africa, the Middle
East, or elsewhere.
5. With reference to the proposal that 0CB conduct an on-the-spot sur-
vey of Eurovision, the Staff Representative advised that COBAT'.s paper had
not yet been sent out to the Board Assistants. The ICA Representative clar-
ified the part his agency would play in such a project; after decision made
as to extent U. S. should participate in Eurovision, ICA would then arrange
for host governments to request OEEC to study the TV situation, informing
them that the U. S. would consider favorably OEEC appropriations for tele-
vision. (The ICA puts money into projects at the request of OEEC..)
6. The next meeting will be held Monday, May 7th at 2:00 P.M.. at.OCB..
RaJph R Busick
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-FHB?.3+J~@RQ~_WJ0018-7
DOS & USIA declassification & release instructions on file SECRET ~...1_.