British Information Services

British Information Services (BIS) was an overt propaganda organization[1] that was part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the government of the United Kingdom.[2]

BIS was initially formed in 1941 as an organization to promote British interests in the United States.[3] It was later expanded to operate in countries around the world,[3][4] eventually expanding to have a presence in around 40 countries.[5] attached to British embassies.[6]

The U.S. operations of BIS had a headquarters in Washington, D.C., with offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.[7] The New York office had a budget of £240,786 in 1949.[7]

“The British Library of Information in New York: A Tool of British Foreign Policy, 1919-1942.” outlines the library's early history. [8]

  1. ^ Taylor, Philip M. (25 October 2012). "Power, Propaganda and Public Opinion: The British Information Services and the Cold War, 1945–57". Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy and the Origins of the EEC, 1952-1957. De Gruyter. pp. 445–461. doi:10.1515/9783110874365.445. ISBN 978-3-11-087436-5.
  2. ^ Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: British Information Service, Overseas Posts: Registered Files. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British Information Service, Foreign Office, British Information Service. 1968–1970.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ a b Cull, Nicholas John; Culbert, David Holbrook; Welch, David (2003). Propaganda and Mass Persuasion: A Historical Encyclopedia, 1500 to the Present. ABC-CLIO. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-57607-820-4.
  4. ^ "BRITISH INFORMATION SERVICES", House of Commons Debates, vol. 540, UK Parliament, cc133-58, 19 April 1955, retrieved 10 April 2022
  5. ^ "OVERSEAS INFORMATION SERVICES", House of Lords Debates, vol. 280, UK Parliament, cc1438-501, 8 March 1967, retrieved 11 April 2022
  6. ^ Operations, United States Congress House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on State Department Organization and Foreign (1974). United States Information Agency Authorization for Fiscal Year 1975: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on State Department Organization and Foreign Operations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-third Congress, Second Session, April 3, 4, 11, and 22, 1974. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  7. ^ a b "BRITISH INFORMATION SERVICES, U.S.A.", House of Commons Debates, vol. 460, UK Parliament, cc834-77, 25 January 1949, retrieved 10 April 2022
  8. ^ Lincove, David A. 2011. “The British Library of Information in New York: A Tool of British Foreign Policy, 1919-1942.” Libraries & the Cultural Record 46 (2): 156–84.