97. Letter From the Chairman of the United States Advisory Commission on Information (Reinsch) to the Director of the United States Information Agency (Murrow)1
At its meeting in Washington on October 23, 1962, the Advisory Commission discussed at some length the question of program content in USIA. The Commission recognizes the problem of sheer volume of material that is inherent in any assessment of program output. At the same time, the Commission believes that there is a need to review periodically the various publications prepared and distributed by USIA as well as the variety of programs offered by the Voice of America, both here and abroad. For it is the Commission’s view that routine radio programs and publications have been developed by the Agency over a period of years which may have outlived their original usefulness.
[Page 253]Recognizing the excellent arrangements under which the Agency has organized its annual personnel promotion panels, the Commission recommends that you consider creating two committees, or panels, for the purpose of reviewing annually or perhaps semi-annually the Agency’s output in print and radio. The Commission believes that the structural patterns of these committees should resemble the personnel promotion panel. The committees or panels should consist of a chairman, who would be either the Director of USIA or a representative of his office, the head of the Press or Broadcasting Service, and one or two public members. The public members should be men who have devoted their lives to print or radio and who can spend at least a month examining the format and content of USIA programs and material as they relate to the purpose, the target audience, and the impact. Men like John Sterling, Ev Meade, and Don Francisco would be eminently qualified to assist the Agency in this essential activity.2
If you agree that such an activity would be beneficial, the Commission would be happy to cooperate with you in finding and selecting qualified and experienced persons who could serve as public members of these committees.
Closely related to the problem of program content is the broader question of country by country review of programs. This Commission has recommended in its Reports to Congress that the Agency conduct a thorough and systematic review of all the programs conducted by USIS on a country by country basis. The Commission suggests that you may wish to employ the instrument of the committee to assist you in performing this function as well.
During the course of the Commission’s meeting, we visited the facilities of the Information Center Service (ICS) where we received an excellent briefing by Robert Beers, the Deputy Director of this Service. We would like to bring to your attention a problem that concerns the Music Division.
We discovered, for example, that the compilation and preparation of the popular music record list and its distribution is slow. This can and should be accelerated. Secondly, we understand that it is customary to put any post that requests records on a permanent mailing list. This mailing list should be checked on an annual basis by the PAO. He should ascertain the use to which the records have been put and he [Page 254] should determine whether or not the post should continue to receive records. Although the Commission’s comments are directed in this instance at music records, it relates to our previous discussions of a more general nature when we recommended that each PAO prepare and submit to the Washington office an annual inventory of all material which he receives from Washington.3
If the recommendations contained in this letter require further elaboration, please do not hesitate to call me and I shall be happy to discuss this matter with you.
The Commission asked me to express its deep concern about your recent illness. It missed you at its meeting and hopes that you will be back soon at the helm fully recovered and reinvigorated. The Commission also asked me to express again its admiration for your invaluable contributions to the U.S. Information Agency and to the nation’s foreign information programs.
With kindest personal regards, I am
Sincerely,
- Source: National Archives, RG 306, Director’s Subject Files, 1962–1963, Entry UD WW 173, Box 7, Advisory Groups—General (IAI/S) 1962). No classification marking. Murrow sent a copy of the letter to Harris under a November 16 memorandum, requesting that he draft an answer to Reinsch. (Ibid.)↩
- In Murrow’s response, dated December 3, he commented: “The committee review plan outlined in your letter makes good sense. However, I would like to see it applied only to publications, since the present Broadcast Advisory Committee gives adequate scrutiny to Voice of America content within inherent limitations. The nature of our policy guidance affecting broadcasting would make difficult any attempt by public members of a temporary special committee to give useful or effective advice on VOA content.” (Ibid.)↩
- An unknown hand placed two checkmarks in the right-hand margin next to this sentence.↩
- Reinsch signed “Leonard” above his typed signature.↩