(a) The Chief of Information is the direct representative of the Secretary of the Navy and of the Chief of Naval Operations in all public affairs and internal relations matters. As such, the Chief of Information has the authority to implement public affairs and internal relations policies and to coordinate Navy and Marine Corps public affairs and internal relations activities of mutual interest.

(b) The Chief of Information will keep Navy commands informed of Department of Defense policies and requirements. No command within the Department of the Navy, except Headquarters, Marine Corps, will deal directly with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) on public affairs matters unless authorized to do so by the Chief of Information.

(c) The Chief of Information will be consulted on all Navy public affairs and internal relations matters and informed of all operations and proposed plans and policies which have national or international (and in the case of audio-visual material, regional) public affairs aspects.

(d) The Chief of Information heads the Navy Office of Information, the Navy Internal Relations Activity (NIRA), the Office of Information Branch Offices (NAVINFOs), the Navy Public Affairs Center (NAVPACENs) and the Fleet Home Town News Center (FHTNC). In addition, the Chief of Information has responsibility (on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy as Executive Agent for the Department of Defense) for the High School News Service and has operational control of the U.S. Navy Band, Washington, DC.

(e) The Navy Office of Information Branch Offices (NAVINFOs) are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York. As representatives of the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, and Chief of Information, the NAVINFOs have a primary mission of providing direct liaison with local and regional mass communications media.

(1) The function of the NAVINFOs are as follows:

(i) Establish and maintain close personal relationships with local television, radio, film, publishing, and other mass-media organizations including minority-group-oriented media.

(ii) Seek ways through these media to inform the public about naval personnel and activities.

(iii) Provide assistance to media organizations and respond to their interest in Navy programs, stories, and features. In this regard, maintain informal liaison with various information offices afloat and ashore in order to respond to requests from local media representatives, particularly those from inland areas, who desire to visit fleet units or activities ashore.

(iv) Provide advice on Navy cooperation and assistance, as appropriate, to representatives of national industrial and commercial organizations, including advertising agencies.

(v) Maintain a library of Navy motion picture films for use by local television stations, distribute news films and audio material, and otherwise perform normal audio-visual functions at the local level.

(vi) Provide personnel and other assistance as appropriate, to special Command Information Bureaus and public information staffs of other naval activities as directed by the Chief of Information.

(vii) Advise the Chief of Information on current trends and significant problems relating to local media requirements.

(viii) Seek ways to support the long-range goals and immediate priorities of the Navy.

(ix) Provide advice and assistance in the placement of news and feature materials to the field activities of the Navy Recruiting Command.

(x) Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the Chief of Information.

(2) Additionally, NAVINFO Los Angeles is the Navy representative for all appropriate liaison with motion picture and network television offices in the Hollywood area. Naval activities will channel all requests for information or assistance from these media to NAVINFO Los Angeles, which will coordinate with CHINFO.

(3) Additionally, NAVINFO New York is the Navy representative for all appropriate liaison with television and radio networks in the New York area and with magazine and book publishers in that area. Requests for assistance originating from these media should be directed to NAVINFO New York, which will coordinate with CHINFO.

(4) Except as specifically directed by CHINFO, the Branch Offices do not have responsibility or authority for community relations or internal relations.

(5) Direct liaison between NAVINFOs and Naval District public affairs offices, Navy recruiters and other naval activities afloat and ashore is encouraged.

(f) Areas covered by the respective offices are:

(1) NAVINFO Atlanta: Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Southern West Virginia.

(2) NAVINFO Boston: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

(3) NAVINFO Chicago: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Northern West Virginia.

(4) NAVINFO Dallas: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

(5) NAVINFO Los Angeles: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

(6) NAVINFO New York: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

(g) The Navy Public Affairs Centers (NAVPACENs) are located in Norfolk and San Diego. The centers have a primary mission of producing Navy stories for dissemination to the media through normal information channels.

(1) The following tasks are included among the functions of the NAVPACENs.

(i) Produce written, audio and photographic feature public information material about fleet and shore personnel, units and activities, as coordinated with and approved for policy and concept by the respective fleet and shore commander concerned.

(ii) Serve as public affairs emergency reaction teams/resource personnel responsive to the requirements of the CNO and CHINFO, and when feasible and appropriate and as approved by CNO or CHINFO, serve as public affairs emergency reaction teams/resource personnel in support of Fleet Commanders.

(iii) Develop feature material to support the long range goals and the immediate priorities of the Navy. Direct liaison is authorized with the Navy Recruiting Command, Recruiting Areas, Recruiting Districts, and other Commanders as appropriate to achieve this function.

(iv) Perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the Chief of Information.

(2) NAVPACENs will have no public affairs news media responsibilities which conflict with the basic public affairs responsibilities of Fleet Commanders-in-Chief. Specifically, NAVPACENs are excluded from responding to news media queries, releasing news information, arranging news media embarkations, or any other day-to-day news media services concerning the respective fleets. These responsibilities remain with the Fleet Commander.

(3) NAVPACENs have no direct responsibility or authority for community relations or internal relations and shall defer in these areas to the cognizant Naval District Commandant.

(4) Direct liaison with Fleet Commanders-in-Chief and NAVINFOs is appropriate and authorized. As approved by the Fleet CINCs, direct liaison with forces afloat and shore activities under the Fleet CINCs is appropriate.

(5) NAVPACENs will carry out their mission and functions in such a manner as not to interfere with the public affairs responsibilities of the District Commandants.

[44 FR 6389, Feb. 1, 1979]