BACKGROUND STATEMENT ON FUNCTIONS OF FBIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
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Background Statement on Functions of FBIS
The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) was estab-
lished by the Federal Communications Commission in 1941 to monitor
German, Italian and Japanese public radio broadcasts. It became
part of the CIA when the Agency was organized in 1947. Its role--assigned
to CIA by the National Security Council--is to monitor foreign radio,
television and press service news and commentary broadcasts to collect
information meeting the needs of U. S. Government departments and
?
agencies. Also by NSC direction, FBIS scans and translates informa-
tion from foreign language publications and documents. The majority
of its published products are unclassified and are widely distributed
throughout the U. S. Government; much of the product is also made
available to the academic community and others in the public sector.
FBIS field stations provide a continuous flow of reporting by
wire on current developments abroad. The information is published
5 days a week in the Daily Report, issued in 6 area volumes and an
all-area White Book. Three of the area volumes are available for
public subscription through the Na.tional Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Department of Commerce, and the White Book is distributed
by the Library of Congress. The FBIS Wire Service, operating 24 hours
a day, seven days a week, provides rapid dissemination of current news
to Government watch offices.
FBIS also manages the Joint Publications Research Service
(JPRS), which was established to meet intelligence community require-
ments for translation of unclassified materials from foreign newspapers,
periodicals and books. As with the Daily Report, JPRS translations,
issued in some 66 serial reports, are made available for public sub-
scription through NTIS.
Some 65, 000 JPRS reports have
cley constitute a valuable product for the foreign affairs
and academic communities as well as for the intelligence community and
the U. S. Government at larg1?7-Cir has decided
-assilmiarktemeis. to acknowledge its sponsorship of JPRS)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
col- 04.4-
e-C?Ek. proposes to use the accompanying unclassified
statement regarding JPRS in response to questions about JPRS
if the statement is agreeable to the Department of Commerce.
It will also be used as the basis for briefing appropriate Congres-
sional Committees. When given the go ahead, FBIS will contact
NTIS to make the necessary arrangements to complete this action.
Such arrangements will include timing, contract employee payroll
? conversion, and necessary changes in telephone listings, JPRS
report covers, and JPRS stationery.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R0001001.10002-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
f . C)1 ? i
Background Statement on Functions of FBIS
The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) was established by
the Federal Communications Commission in 1941 to monitor German,
Italian and Japanese public radio broadcasts. It became part of the CIA
when the Agency was organized in 1947. Its role--assigned to CIA by
the National Security, Council--is to monitor foreign radio, television
and press service news and commentary broadcasts to collect informa-
tion meeting the needs of U.S. Government departments and agencies.
Also by NSC direction, FBIS scans and translates information from
foreign language publications and documents. The majority of its publisheA
products are unclassified and are widely distributed throught the U.S. 4.
Government; much,of the product is also made available to the academic
community and others in the public sector.
FBIS field stations provide a continuous flow of reporting by wire on
current developments abroad. The information is published 5 days a
week in the Daily Report, issued in 6 area volumes and an all-area
White Book. Three of the area volumes are available for public sub-
scription through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS),
Department of Commerce, and the White Book is distributed by the
Library of Congress. The FBIS Wire Service, operating 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, provides rapid dissemination of current news
to Government watch offices.
FBIS also manages the Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS),
which was established to meet intelligence community requirements
for translation of unclassified materials from foreign newspapers,
periodicals and books. As with the Daily Report, JPRS translations,
issued in some 66 serial reports, are made available for public
subscription through NTIS. Some 65,000 JPRS reports have been
issued, and they constitute a valuable product for the foreign affairs
and academic communities as well as for the intelligence community
and the U.S. Government at large.
The CIA has decided to acknowledge its sponsorship of JPRS, and
proposes to use the accompanying unclassified statement regarding
JPRS in response to questions about JPRS if the statement is agree-
able to the Department of Commerce. It will also be used as the
basis for briefing appropriate Congressional Committees. When given
the go ahead, FBIS will contact NTIS to make the necessary arrange-
ments to complete this action. Such arrangements will include timing,
contract employee payroll conversion, and necessary changes in tele-
phone listings, JPRS report covers, and JPRS stationery.
NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
???.? ??? ? m. r: n P 71, ,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01 : CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
Background Statement on Functions of FBIS
The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) was established by
the Federal Communications Commission in 1941 to monitor German,
Italian and Japanese public radio broadcasts. It became part of the CIA
when the Agency was organized in 1947. Its role--assigned to CIA by
the National Security Council--is to monitor foreign radio, television
and press service news and commentary broadcasts to collect informa-
tion meeting the needs of U.S. Government departments and agencies.
Also by NSC direction, FBIS scans and translates information from
foreign language publications and documents. The majority of its published
products are unclassified and are widely distributed throught the U.S.
Government; much of the product is also made available to the academic
community and others in the public sector.
FBIS field stations provide a continuous flow of reporting by wire on
current developments abroad. The information is published 5 days a
week in the Daily Report, issued in 6 area volumes and an all-area
White Book. Three of the area volumes are available for public sub-
scription through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS),
Department of Commerce, and the White Book is distributed by the
Library of Congress. The FBIS Wire Service, operating 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, provides rapid dissemination of current news
to Government watch offices.
FBIS also manages the Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS),
? which was established to meet intelligence community requirements
for translation of unclassified materials from foreign newspapers,
? periodicals and books. As with the Daily Report, JPRS translations,
issued in some 66 serial reports, are made available for public
subscription through NTIS. Some 65,000 JPRS reports have been
issued, and they constitute a valuable product for the foreign affairs
and academic communities as well as for the intelligence community
and the U.S. Government at large.
The CIA has decided to acknowledge its sponsorship of JPRS, and
proposes to use the accompanying unclassified statement regarding
JPRS in response to questions about JPRS if the statement is agree-
able to the Department of Commerce. It will also be used as the
basis for briefing appropriate Congressional Committees. When given
the go ahead, FBIS will contact NTIS to make the necessary arrange-
ments to complete this action. Such arrangements will include timing,
contract employee payroll conversion, and necessary changes in tele-
phone listings, JPRS report covers, and JPRS stationery.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
? ? ? ?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20230 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE'
OFFICIAL. BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
FBIS
CIA
Langley, Virginia
45
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/01: CIA-RDP08T00376R000100110002-5
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