are shipped to USIS missions abroad for broadcast by foreign stations and net- mùi works. 4. Transcribed programs produced by IBS personnel and equipment. These are radio recordings similar in nature to the "package programs" purchased from outside sources. They are produced in New York, Washington, Cairo and Manila, and are broadcast both by IBS and foreign facilities. 5. Programs produced and broadcast by privately owned International Broadcasters. The Broadcasting Service contracts with private companies for the production and transmission of shortwave broadcasts direct to the target areas. The budget of the Broadcasting Service, provides much more than the 32 hours and 5 minutes of broadcasting per day shown in the Daily Broadcast Schedule. The schedule reflects only studio time for "live" broadcasts. The i other types of programming described above will represent approximately 89 additional hours. Thus, the budget herein presented proposes a Broadcasting Service capable of carrying the Voice of America to the peoples of the world on an average of 121 broadcast hours daily. Since the extent to which other major countries, engaged in international broadcasting, use repeats or package programs is not known, it is impossible to give comparable figures. Some idea of the foreign-broadcasting effort of other countries can be gained, however, from the fact that the scheduled daily programs of the BBC contain over 80 hours of broadcasting; those of Moscow, over 87 hours; and those of the satellites, over 102 hours, as compared with the VOA daily schedule of 32 hours. It should be noted that the radio program has been sharply reduced in 1954 from the 1953 level. The daily broadcast schedule has been cut from 43 hours, 40 minutes to 28 hours, 5 minutes; the number of language services has been reduced from 45 to 33; and transmitter operation has been curtailed through elimination of these programs and a portion of the repeat broadcasting. 1955, estimate Increase, or decrease (-) Amount Amount $6,533, 069 789 9, 126, 676 818 9,792, 451 29 84 $1, 173, 112 665, 775 98 580, 629 .41 307, 926 41 307,926 18 133, 449 16 136, 573 16 136,573 298 1,781, 299 1,268, 981 This element of the Broadcasting Service is responsible for the preparation and production of radio programs in 32 foreign languages and English, which are beamed by shortwave from the United States and relayed by IBS overseas facilities to the target areas. It also directs a small staff in Washington, D. C., which is principally engaged in special event coverage. In addition to the programing operation in the United States, it is responsible for the development, direction and integration of field radio centers at Munich, Cairo, and Manila. Radio programs are produced and broadcast from the Munich Center in the Soviet and satellite languages, programs designed to complement those in the same languages originating in the United States. The Cairo Center prepares complete recorded programs in Arabic which are shipped to and broadcast from the Courier. Initial steps are under way for the development of a field center at Manila which will utilize the new, powerful transmitting facilities at Jade to broadcast locally produced, recorded programs in the southeast Asia languages. This Service is also responsible for the preparation of complete, recorded radio programs, and the preparation and adaptation of TV kinescopes, which are distributed to overseas field posts for placement on local radio and TV stations. Moreover, it provides to the field posts scripts and sound effects materials for local programing use, as well as audience building, publicity and other promotional materials. The Service arranges for and approves radio programs produced and broadcast by private international broadcasters, under contract, for specific areas of the world-notably Latin America-which are not reached by VOA's shortwave originations from New York. Finally, this element has the responsibility for replying to and tabulating voluminous audience mail, which is received from listeners all over the world. The 1955 estimates propose only two increases in the daily broadcast schedule: (a) An additional 2 hours and 30 minutes in worldwide English broadcasts; and (b) expansion of programs originating from Munich to provide an additional hour and one-half in Soviet orbit programing. English is now the second language in almost every major nation. VOA broadcasts in English are considered by many of the peoples in the overseas audience to be more authentic, and more reliable, than broadcasts in their own languages. The present schedule of 30 minutes daily allows very little selectivity in providing news and commentary for particular areas of the world. The increase requested will permit preparation of daily news and commentary adapted at least to hit significant items and major interests on a regional basis. The Munich Center is presently broadcasting in 7 languages, 15 minutes daily, with the exception of Polish, which is carried 30 minutes daily. In general, 15 minute programs for the Munich Center are an uneconomical minimum in that they do not make full use of the basic staff and services necessary for each language program; they do not permit much variety in daily format and program content; and they fall far short of making full use of the rich program resources available to this on-the-spot operation. The proposed increase to 30 minutes in each language, or nearly double the present schedule, can be accomplished with an increase in cost of little more than 50 percent. The following tables summarize the schedule of original programs broadcast from studios in the United States and Munich, and program costs by purpose and function. Program services activity 1953, actual Amount A. Domestic: 1. Program manager.. 4. Far East division.. 5. Inter-American di- 6. Field service divi- $260,030 2,749, 264 250 2,009,680 729, 960 1,067, 734 292,872 863,723 7. Central Services 200 1,410, 121 8. Package programs. 467,989 100,000 B. Washington program center. C. Munich program center.. D. Manila packaging center.. 14 E. Cairo packaging 3. Near East, South Asia and Africa Division The increase of $42,596 will provide for four additional positions and funds for the development or purchase of additional program materials, scripts, and transcriptions to be shipped to Cairo for use in the expanded packaging activity. 7. Central Services Division An increase of $151,000 and 20 positions is requested to support the proposed increases in English language broadcasts, package radio and television programs, and programing produced by private international broadcasters. 8. Package programs The increase of $324,280 is requested for: (a) An increase of $55,000 for package radio programs, for a total of $201,295. This is intended to provide $25,000 for Hindi and Urdu package programs for broadcast over the Ceylon facilities, and $30,000 for package programs for local placement throughout the European dependencies in the Caribbean; and (b) An additional $269,280 for TV programing, for a total of $330,260. This sharp increase is requested as a result of the rapid expansion of television abroad, and the willingness of foreign stations to accept and use our programs. At the present time, there is an estimated audience of 30 million TV viewers in 23 countries in key world areas. By 1955 it is expected that these figures may be increased to 50 million viewers in 42 countries. The initiation of a TV news program in 1954 for distribution to 13 countries brought immediate and highly favorable comment from the field, underscoring the tremendous value of this type of material. Funds requested for television will permit the distribution of a weekly TV news program for use in 16 countries of Europe, Latin America, and the Far East, containing items of specific interest to these world areas. included are funds for 200 kinescopes of President Eisenhower's speeches for distribution to all areas of the world. Special programs furthering United States Information Agency objectives will be acquired from the output of the domestic TV industry for IBS adaptation. A series of 52 original quarter-hour programs will be inaugurated, dealing with facets of the American scene such as industry, developments in science in the United States, and other subjects which have not previously been filmed. In total, it is expected that these programs will reach a weekly viewing audience of 25 million. 9. Private international broadcasts An increase of $245,300 is requested for this purpose, for a total of $300,000. This will be used for the development of programs, under contract, by private firms engaged in international broadcasting. Programing will be limited to those areas of the world not reached by VOA's originations from New York, primarily to priority areas in the American Republics. Contracts with private broadcasters will be let only after studies of current programs have been made, to assure that program effectiveness and signal reliability warrant their continuation. C. MUNICH PROGRAM CENTER An increase of $252,532 and 39 positions (20 Americans and 19 locals) is requested to permit increasing the present broadcast schedule of 2 hours daily in Soviet and satellite languages to a total of 3 hours and 30 minutes daily. This center is now in its second full year of operation. The advantages derived, in terms of freshness and impact of program content, are extremely valuable. The proposed increase will produce more programing per dollar on an annual basis than is possible with the present schedule. D. CAIRO PACKAGING CENTER An increase of $57,404 and 7 positions (2 Americans and 5 locals) is requested. This center is engaged in the preparation of programs recorded in Arabic for relay over the "courier" facilities, using basic materials collected in the Middle East or supplied from the United States. The increase is proposed in order to take full advantage of good signal propagation and listening hours in the area, to provide more adequate time zone coverage in an area stretching from West Africa to Saudi Arabia, and to supplement the single hour of Arabic broadcasts originating in the United States. E. MANILA PACKAGING CENTER The estimates provide $100,000 for the establishment of a small center at Manila, with a staff of 6 Americans and 8 locals. Using materials furnished by mission staff at key southeast Asia posts, this center will assemble programs for broadcast over the medium wave facilitities at Project Jade. These programs will supplement shortwave broadcasts from the United States and permit exploitation of local events for greater impact and effectiveness. |