CIA STOOGES?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000400150008-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 2004
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 14, 1976
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2005/01/12: CIA-RDP88-01315ROOOLOQ5 08 /
~(i A / d ( ,i G fiU4~ C~ -
]f u'1 C: L. 0N, KAN.
IiEWS ? lh \' '1 /I 1975
U 50,622
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A o?
George Bush, the new CIA di-
rdctor, apparently stayed too long
in China.
On at least one point-the func-
,tiQn..of news reporters-his view
is parallel to that of the Commu-
nists.
Bush took office during the
'height of the CIA flaps, one of
which centered over use of report-.
t'rs as sourlres for the CIA. He an-
bounced that henceforth, the CIA
won't pay for such information.
Last week, he said again-no
pay, but how about giving it to us
for free? ,
Push seems to be laboring tin-
Per some misapprehension, that
he question here is money, not
principle.
He told the annual gathering of
The Overseas Press Club in New
pork that journalists should volun-
:er information to the agency.
To the credit of the Club, only a.
couple of boos and a few hisses
greeted that remark. From the
rest, there was "stunned silence,"
as one member described it-
The policy of UPI and AP. the
major news services, and of any
reputable news agency, is to for- I
bid volunteering information for
the CIA, FBI, or any other gov-
ernmental intelligence or law en-
forcement agency. That is basic.
If this principle is tampered with,
then the public will have good rea-
son to question the news report.
Reporters can't become tools of
government. In China, maybe; in
a democracy, never. It also is ri-
diculous to suggest to a group
that is founded on an open society
that it should participate in covert
operations.
Bush left that banquet quietly, .
in the middle of an awards pro-1
gram. It was just as well- /
r
Approved For Release 2005/01/12 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000400150008-7