RL policy official Edward Van Der Rhoer responds to concerns of AMCOMLIB policy official Catherine Dupuy (letter of June 12, 1961, attached) about a RL policy paper on Military Technology Achievements.

AMCOMLIB Deputy to the President Europe Kelley informs President Sargeant about differences with Radio Free Europe over publicity of the 1959 riots in Temirtau (Kazakhstan) and attaches a memorandum from Press and Public Relations Officer Robert Redlich. 

Deputy to the President for Europe Robert Kelley reviews for AMCOMLIB President Sargeant RL personnel and policy issues and relations with the West German government.

AMCOMLIB co-founder Isaac Don Levine informs AMCOMLIB President Sargeant of the results of his critical review of RL broadcasts in late 1957 and early 1958. 

AMCOMLIB European Counsel Paul Mueller informs the Deputy to the President, Europe of his discussions with German Foreign Office official Onken about a staff termination with political ramifications and assures him of efforts to avoid publicity about the case.

CIA officials responsible for RFE question the criticism of RFE Polish broadcasts by the Polish Government, the West German Government, and the State Department and conclude that coverage of the December 1970 unrest in Poland was responsible and effective.

Report by Foreign Office (IRD) official H.T.A. Overton on his visit to RFE between November 24 and November 27, 1955. The report is focused on RFE’s news and information operation and the balloon-leaflet operation. Overton viewed as RFE liabilities the extent of autonomy granted to its exile broadcasters, its non-official status, and its location in Bavaria. He notes an effort by Political Advisor William Griffith to encourage the national broadcast services to include more coverage of the Western world and to eliminate “the highly argumentative … script with no real substance to it.” Attached is an RFE summary of its Evaluation and Research Section and an RFE organizational chart.

Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart - head of the World War II Political Warfare Executive who later had a highly popular BBC weekly program in Czech - visited RFE with BBC Central European chief Gregory Macdonald between January 29 and February 1, 1952. Reviewing personalities, attitudes, and operations in Munich, Lockhart concluded that RFE had made progress in its first year, that its broadcasters were happy to be separated geographically from émigré politicians in the US, but that RFE faced the challenge of keeping the spark of hope alive in Eastern Europe without instigating revolt. It also faced the challenge of emerging German sovereignty, which Lockhart thought would force RFE to relocate to another country. Accompanying Foreign Office memoranda generally endorsed Lockhart conclusions. Information Research Department official F.C. Stacey cautioned that “the need for sensational stories of RFE activities” for the domestic US audience might result in irresponsible RFE broadcasts.

Observations of BBC managers two months after the start of RFE broadcasting from Munich on May 1, 1951. It includes their analysis of the Czechoslovak Service broadcasts on May 26th, 1951, and of the network of field bureaus to gather information from refugees. They lauded the enthusiasm of RFE broadcasters but criticized their programs for mixing opinion with fact in newscast.

Analysis of RFE news operations by BBC Central European Service director Gregory Macdonald, who visited Munich from January 8 to January 23, 1956, at RFE’s request. Accompanied by notes from the British Foreign Office and its Information Research Department. Macdonald had been asked by RFE officials to assess the objectivity and organization of the newscasts.