Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports 1974-1996

The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) was first set up by President Roosevelt in 1941, with the aim of monitoring World War II enemy broadcasts. This archive represents the work of the service three decades after its foundation and features the translated broadcasts and print media publications of territories outside the USA.

Based on open-source intelligence gathering, the service also translates databases and other literature of governments foreign to the US. It issues a daily translation of these broadcasts - with topics covered including military affairs, politics, the environment, economics, science and technology – and many of the archive’s materials feature first-hand accounts of major world events as they occurred.

Please note: FBIS consists of a Global File covering the 1941-1973 time period, and 8 geographic regions covering the 1974-1996 time period. The JISC Collections subscription agreement currently provides access to three of the 1974-1996 regions including the Middle East & North Africa, South Asia & sub Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe.

How can this collection be used in teaching, studying and research?

This collection has much to offer teachers, students and scholars with special interests in international affairs, North American history and the history of the late 20th century in general. With daily editions of all translated foreign media, it offers a unique and contemporary view of historical world events.