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RIAS Scores with East Zone Program
LETTERS AND TELEPHONE CALLS from residents of
the Soviet Zone of Germany have demonstrated to
officials of RIAS that its daily broadcast "Information
from the Soviet Zone" has a large and interested listen-
ing audience.
RIAS, the US-operated radio station in Free Berlin, *
inaugurated the five-minute feature program on Nov. 6,
offering short news items and announcements concerning
the Soviet Zone. It comes on every morning at 6:40
o'clock, immediately following a regular newscast.
The word "information" was chosen for the title to
make clear that the broadcast is not part of the normal
news operation since it is usually impossible to recheck
completely the accuracy of a report from the Soviet
Zone. The response has indicated a satisfactory degree of
eliability.
Listeners in the Soviet Zone, according to the letters
and telephone calls received at the station's office, re-
gard the broadcast as a means of publicizing Communist
activities in factories and offices and on farms. Many
of the listeners contribute reports on events in their own
localities. Excerpts from some of the letters are:
"I want to express my pleasure over the fact that I,
too, could contribute something to be heard by others.
I lerr Doctor X tells me -I was unable to listen myself-
that you reported the affair of Professor Y. There is lively
discussion of the case in our little group in the in-
stitute."
Concerning a trade union leader in Dresden who em-
bezzled funds: "Employees here are convinced that RIAS
knows everything and keeps a complete record of who does
what. Higher party functionaries and the police inquired
whether the report was correct. Its accuracy was confirmed."
CONCERNING THE BROADCAST of excerpts from
the criminal record of a staff member of a con-
valescent home in Ueckermuende: "The doctor in charge
called a staff meeting, following the RIAS broadcast,
and demanded that the staff discover who the pro-
vocateurs were *who on behalf of American monopolistic
capitalists had delivered the false information about Doc-
tor S to RIAS. In addition, a meeting of SED (the Com-
munist Social Unity Party) functionaries was held at
which it was stated that Doctor S had proved his friend-
ship for the Soviet Union during the war."
Regarding a report on compulsory overtime in the
ABUS Works at Wildau: "Since you have twice told
about disagreeable conditions in the ABUS in your
broadcast at 6:40 a. in., I want to offer you further in-
formation ... We would be very glad, dear RIAS, if
you would report this new affair in your 6:40 or some
*See "RIAS, the Truth Crusader," Information Bulletin, Decein-
her 1950.
other Soviet Zone bradcast." On the same subject: the
works director 'was visibly angry over RIAS' broadcast
on the ABUS.''
Concerning a report on a vote on wage deductions for
the East Berlin construction program in the IFA Works
at Potsdam: "Comrade Krueger, SED propaganda leader
in the plant, was all set to give the editors of the
Maerkische Volksstimme a report on the success of the
vote on Dec. 21. Then he learned that RIAS had al-
ready announced the result. His report was rewritten
and given to the Volksstimme on Dec. 22."
ANOTHER INDICATION of the newprogram'seffective-
Aness: a few hours before a delegation from the staff of
the telephone office in East Berlin arrived in Secretary
General Ulbricht's office to present demands of East
Berlin postal employees, "Information from the Soviet
Zone" reported that the meeting was to be held. Many
post offices, which had not been informed of the meet-
ing, called the postal trade union leaders to ask what
the outcome of the meeting was. The RIAS report also
was mentioned in the discussion in Ulbricht's secretariat.
Ulbricht's personnel assistant preferred to express no
opinion on the matter.                     + END
Maj. Gen. Lemuel Mathewson, US commander, Berlin,
views chicken incubation equipment at "Green Week"
exhibition at West Berlin fairgrounds. At his left is Karl
Wiemer, fair director.    (PRB BE-HICOG photo by Schubert)
FEBRUARY 1952