FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE

JOINT PUBLICATIONS RESEARCH SERVICE

Last updated on September 4, 2008

The Foreign Broadcast Information Service is a United States government operation which translates the text of daily broadcasts, government statements, and select news stories from non-English sources around the world. One report with translations is issued for each of eight world regions for each day. The text of these translations are available in paper (1958-60), microfilm (1961-74), microfiche (1975-96), and the internet (World News Connection), 1996 to present.

There were no cumulative indexes through 1974 so users must use the monthly indexes for each of the separate regional series on microfiche or in paper. The printed indexes, which began for individual regions circa 1975, have been cumulated for 1975-96. They are available to University of Michigan users through Newsbank

<http://infoweb.newsbank.com/?db=FBIS>
The index does not contain the full text. See Locating Full-Text of FBIS Reports, 1975-96. for additional information.

Sample FBIS Search, 1975-96

LOCATING FULL-TEXT OF FBIS REPORTS, 1975-96

Record FBIS Region name, date and page number from the citation.
Locate the appropriate FBIS region in fiche in Microform and Serials.
INDEX CODE   SERIES NAME               FICHE #        YEARS COVERED 
                                        

AAP  *       Asia and the Pacific      Micro-F X211   1974-87
AFR  **      Africa (Sub-Sahara)       Micro-F X212   1987-96
EAS  *       East Asia                 Micro-F X211   1987-96
EEU          Eastern Europe            Micro-F X209   1974-96
LAT          Latin America             Micro-F X213   1974-96
MEA  **      Middle East and Africa    Micro-F X212   1974-87
NES  **      Near East and South Asia  Micro-F X212A  1987-96
PRC          China                     Micro-F X208   1974-96
SOA  ***     South Asia                Micro-F X215   1980-87
SOV  ***     Soviet Union              Micro-F X210   1974-91
             Central Eurasia           Micro-F X210   1991-96?
USR  ****    Central Eurasia           Micro-F X210   1993-94
WEU          Western Europe            Micro-F X214   1974-96

______________________
*      In 1987 AAP (Asia and Pacific) series became EAS (East Asia)
**     In 1987, MEA (Middle East & Africa) dropped  Mid East & became
       AFR (Sub-Saharan Africa).  South Asia added it, becoming
       NES (Near East & South Asia).
***    In 1991, the Soviet Union Daily Report became the Central Eurasian
       Daily Report.  The mnemonic remains SOV.
****   In 1991, the index began covering JPRS reports on Political Affairs
       of the CIS, citing them as the Central Eurasian Report (USR).
World News Connection, 1994+
The microfiche, microfilm, and paper formats were replaced by an Internet edition, entitled World News Connection in 1996. The World News Connection includes the full text of the translations which have been licensed for web distribution since 1994. It is available to University of Michigan authenticated users at: http://wnc.dialog.com/

Materials appearing in the World News Connection as well as some news translations not licensed for internet distribution are available on CD-ROM at the Documents Center Workstations under the FBIS title. Note the statement of restricted use when you logon to the CD-ROMS.

Predecessor and Successor

Paper Edition, 1958-60

Located in Buhr: D 839 .U58

Microfilm Edition, 1961-74

Located in Serials/Microforms: FILM X115

World News Connection (UMich Only)

Web interface for full text of FBIS reports beginning November 1994
Searchable by keyword, region, and date
Campus networked subscription for five simultaneous users

Joint Publications Research Service

The Joint Publications Research Service was a separate set which translated foreign periodicals of U.S. strategic interest.

The Documents Center has various paper indexes, 1966-1974, shelved as Z 1223 .J4. Earlier years are indexed by the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications (Docs. Z 1223 .A18). Scattered issues, 1958-61 and 1965-1975, are on microprint in Buhr: MICRO-P X9.

From 1975-96, the publications are located on microfiche in the Microform Reading Room, MICRO-F X252. Cumulative indexes for each year are available on microfiche in the first cabinet.

John M. Brandt
Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library
Send comments and suggestions to AskUs
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/FBIS.html
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