These services provide access to and English language coverage for local and regional media from around the world.  Gaining the perspective of publications and broadcasts located in other countries and regions strengthens academic analysis, whether for historical, political, economic, or sociological research.  The details and effects of the local economy, results and conditions of elections, and a view outward, seeing the world from that place all are enabled by translation services such as those from FBIS and the BBC.  In addition, since these services date back to the late 1930s, local media from all over the world are available for historical research.  Indexes are rare before 1980, but for those years events which are dated from other sources can be studied in local media using publications from these services. 

In addition to these worldwide services, there are numerous regional and subject translation services, such as those in Central Europe for Radio Free Europe and those covering Latin America. See the guides to research from Princeton's area bibliographers and for specific subject areas.

Electronic sources noted below are available through the Library Home Page on any computer on the Princeton University campus network or remotely, for Princeton faculty, students and staff, from anywhere in the world with access to the Internet, via VPN or the Library Proxy Server.   Paper indexes are usually found in the reference section of the Social Science Reference Center (SSRC) on A Floor of Firestone Library.  Microfilm is found in the Microform Collection on C Floor of Firestone Library

• BBC Monitoring Service.  Summary of World Broadcasts.  Printed reports.  Location: Microforms Library (Film) S00118, S00119, 1780.211, 14101.211; 14102.211, also ending .1, .3, .35, and .4.  Holdings 1939 until mid- 50s, 70s, 80s, depending on series.  No index.

BBC Worldwide Monitoring
• Available through Lexis Academic service: From January 1, 1979 through current.
  Location: World News
• Also Available through Factiva service : From November 4, 1997 through current.
• No paper equivalent of present product.

The Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) is a translation service of the U.S. Government, usually attributed to the Central Intelligence Agency.  It covers political, military, economic, environmental and sociological news and commentary, as well as scientific and technical information. FBIS Daily Reports are translations of daily broadcasts from eight reporting areas: China, East Asia, East Europe, Latin America, Near East and South Asia, Central Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa and West Europe. Selected news stories from non-English sources, periodicals and government statements from around the world. The product named FBIS Daily Reports is commonly called just "FBIS" although  "Foreign Broadcast Information Service" continues to be the name of the continuing agency which produces the "World News Connection" product.  FBIS Daily Reports was issued in paper; it ceased in September 1996.

FBIS Daily Report Locations:

FBIS Daily Reports (paper) 1946-1951 are located in AnnexA 14102.914 and .2, .3, .4 and .5

FBIS Daily Reports (microfilm), 1952-1996, are located in Princeton's Microforms Library.

FBIS Daily Report Indexes:

No indexes for 1952-1974; search by date of events known from other sources

FBIS Web indexes for 1975 - 1996; see the library home page.

Paper indexes for 1975-1991 are located in Annex.

Brief monthly indexes for 1975-1996 are filed at the before of each year's fiche.

The Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS), operating within the Foreign Broadcast Information Service, was a similar translation service for information from newspaper, journals, and speeches covering topics including agriculture, business, science and technology. Some individual series focused on political analysis or scientific and technical developments. In 1995, JPRS translations were merged with FBIS Daily Reports.

JPRS Locations:
•  JPRS 1953-1979 are part of the U.S. Non-Depository Microcard Set
•  JPRS 1979 - 1995 microfiche are located in the Microforms Library,

Fiche 1979 - 1983 are filed by a Transdex number, i.e. 783968.
Fiche, 1984-1995, are filed by an alpha-numeric number, i.e. ATC-91-002

JPRS Indexes:

• JPRS 1958-1977 is indexed in the Monthly Catalog of Government Publications for 1958-1977, found in SSRC.  Use The Index to Readex Microprint  JPRS Reports, 1958-1976 (04065.92.73 SSRC) to find a correlation between Monthly Catalog  numbers and JPRS numbers.
• JPRS 1970-1973 is indexed by paper Transdex: Bibliography, (SSRC  0911.911).
• JPRS 1978-1995 has keyword access provided by fiche Transdex Index, 1978-1995 filed  with JPRS microfiche.

World News Connection (WNC) is FBIS on the web, described as being a " Foreign News Alert Service from the US Government" to "identify what really is happening in a specific country or region."  . Compiled from thousands of non-U.S. media sources, focusing especially on local media sources.  Covers significant socioeconomic, political, scientific, technical, and environmental issues and events. Translations and English language versions  from newspaper articles, conference proceedings, television and radio broadcasts, periodicals and non-classified technical reports.  Regions include: Central Eurasia, East Asia, Near East & South Asia, China, East Europe, West Europe, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Coverage began July 1994; updated every U.S. Government work day, within 24-72 hours from the time of original publication or broadcast. No paper equivalent.

World News Connection provides three basic search methods; all can limit by date:

• Free Text   WNC analyzes the search, adds related term(s) and variations, and executes the search. Searcher can chose appropriate meanings and assign "weights" to terms. Can limit by date. use Boolean operators (and, or, not). Articles sorted by probable relevance.

 
• Region/Topic "Point and click" method of searching by eight geographic regions and seven topics.

 
• Structured  Traditional Boolean method of searching using "and - or - not".  System does not assign values to search terms.

• BBC's Home Page , http://www.bbc.co.uk/
• BBC Monitoring home page, at http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk/
• Foreign News Media, from the University of Michigan, http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/psnews.html#forind
• Guide to Foreign Broadcast Information Service, from University of Oregon, http://libweb.uoregon.edu/govdocs/micro/fbis.htm
• Guide to FBIS Daily Reports, from University of Pennsylvania, http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/guides/govdocs/fbis.html
• Guide to JPRS, from University of Maryland
• Who Needs the BBC? Edgy history and analysis from the March 2001 Atlantic Monthly, http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200103/wheatcroft
• World News Connection home page, at http://wnc.dialog.com/