JOURNALISTS AND CIA AGENTS MAKE UNHEALTHY BEDFELLOWS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200044-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2007
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: April 26, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200044-4
~lEli1DEN RECORD-JOUR :AL (CONN. )
26 April 1980
.:dit()r`s notebook
J
By Barhoro. C:: White
When George Bush was head of. the CIA, the news broke
that the agency on occasion employed journalists to do its
work. Sometimes. it. would approach people who had
already secured a position in a particular country and
-persuade them to work uxlercover, along with the regular
newswork, Sometimes a-CI.A agent would masquerade as a
journalist.'
Newspeople, -editors and reporters, rose up in wrath.
They labelled the policy dangerous to journalists, demean-
ing, self-defeating, counter-productive, a threat to the
freedom of the ores.
Bush, to his credit, saw the point_ He issued a formal
change of policy insuring that, journalists accredited by the
U.S. government would no longer be employed by the gov-
erment as CIA agents orundercover operators.
Reversal
Held;;Isee the CIA hiring policy as a threat to the two
of enormous value to the country and its safety and well-
being.
These are the belief of the world and of Americans that
our-press is as impartial and objective as it is possible to
be, and the need of journalists to stand before sources and
potential sources with a fair chance of being judged objec- .,
tive, trustworthy and deserving of confidential informa--*4
lion. :. _
The argument for the:CQA-guaranteed independence of
journalists in this country give for Lie right to protect their.,:
range, the government - CIA or the courts - might
are conduits, willing or unwilling, for information, that in-
the source.
it's a case-of killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
A case of cOntli .
.Editors in Washington recently reacted in shocked dis-
belief to the off-hand remark of the present CIA chief, Ad-
miral Stansfield Turner, that it is now' the policy of the
agency to employ journalists as secret agents when
deemed necessary. Speaking before the American Society
of Newspaper Editors, Turner insisted that the change in
regulations had been made-.public by him during a
Congressional hearing three-years ago. He conceded that
the practice is used only when necessary, and that of three
clearances which he has given on it, not one was put into
practice. .
If, as Turner states, the policy was publicly and formally
reversed, then the nation's' newspeople were caught with
their sources down. The redoubtable Abe Rosenthal of the
New York Times led the questioning and voiced-his dis-
belief that such a change-could. have gotten by the army of
reporters in Washington undetected.
However it happened, Turner has no doubts about 'the
soundness-of the policy and no intent whatsoever of chang-
Turner's case.
He puts it on the simple ground of patriotism.
What newsgatherer or editor, he asks, would not be glad
to help out the government, to perform- a patriotic duty, to
contribute to the well-being of his country? Is this not a
small price to pay for the protection newspeople are pro-
vided, and the privileges as citizens which they enjoy?
,Why do the reporters and editors protest that actions
like this curtail First Amendment rights? It is not that
they are being denied freedom; rather they are tieing of-
fered a chance to contribute to it.
Do journalists think they are more important, or that
their calling is higher than that of the U.S. government
`In spite. of Turner's equation of the CIA with simple
patriotism, it isn't that simple. - :---
Asked whether his agency would inform the employer of
the journalist about the extra-curricular CIA work, Turner
answered that he hoped the journalist would communicate
the facts - himself, blow his own cover. No. doubt the -'
employer is expected to condone'or encourage-. the
moonlighting, again in the interests of patriotism, and to
bless the employee and the extra income which the job br-,-
ings.
But if the journalist has his cover blown by whatever-
chance, if he is identified as a CIA agent, both his pro-
fessional- reputation and- that of his newspaper suffer. His
life maybe in danger besides.
And how about the very real conflict of ' interest that
could occur if, in the course of his work, a journalist urn
'covered an instance of corruption- or fraud in the CIA~
itself? To whom then would he owe loyalty? And would he,_ ,,
like Frank Snepp be bound by CIA rules not to talk, not
Newspeople are not trying to put themselves. or their -'
profession above the CIA. They recognize intelligence as a .;
necessary arm of the government, which should be an in
strument, not a shaper, of policy.
The American press is another arm of the democratic=
system, as.strong in its own way, and sometimes as ar==
rogant, as any other. Only to the extent that it supplies
.news and information which is credible because it is objec
Journalists' case bast served if the ores and. the CIA keep a wary, arms-
Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200044-4 n?a,.,,W.. -'' {