Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the collection and analysis of data gathered from publicly available information sources to produce actionable intelligence. OSINT is primarily used in national security contexts to monitor and assess foreign and domestic threats. OSINT also plays a central role in the development of government policy across the globe.
Today, OSINT is used by researchers to interpret critical events of the past as well as social trends, economic indicators, technological and scientific breakthroughs, public opinion, and more.
OSINT sources of the 20th century include:
- Radio broadcasts (beginning in the 1930s and the principal medium of most 20th-century OSINT)
- Television broadcasts (beginning in the 1950s)
- Journals covering the hard and soft sciences
- Government documents and specialty monographs
- Reports of various kinds, especially from NGOs
- Newspaper articles
- Reference sources
Researchers rely on OSINT to provide the fullest possible information set to support their work.
The following collections from Readex—featuring more than 10 million content items beginning in 1939—offer an unprecedented view into real-time history in its first draft. These digitized OSINT resources provide valuable insights for students and researchers studying the 20th century across all academic disciplines—adding depth and perspective to our historical understanding.
BBC Monitoring: Summary of World Broadcasts
- Named Library Journal Best Reference 2024 | Databases
- Previously inaccessible transcripts of original radio and television broadcasts, translated into English and summarized by BBC Monitoring
- Exceptional real-time coverage of critical world events, from the start of WWII to the early 21st century (1939-2001)
- Open-source intelligence transcripts offer unprecedented academic research value
Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports, 1974-1996
- A unique 20th-century archive for students and scholars of international studies, political science and world history
- Transcripts of foreign broadcasts and news, translated into English
- Helps researchers develop a layered understanding of the Soviet Union, China, the Middle East and Latin America
Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS) Reports, 1957-1995
- Ideal for researching socioeconomic, political, environmental, scientific, technical and military issues and events
- Translated materials enable researchers to explore a vast repository of foreign material
- Contains monographs, reports, serials, journal and newspaper articles, and reference sources
