THE CIA AND THE PRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200099-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2007
• Sequence Number: 99
• Publication Date: April 16, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200099-4
AFFMOI)
0L'1 PAGE" / 4
THE WASHINGTON STAR
16 April 1980
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Last week's discussion of the sore subject of The answer to that question is that it probably
the recruitment of journalists (and other profes- wouldn't. The integrity and safety, not the free-
sionals) as CIA agents between Adm. Stansfield dom, of correspondents are what editors worry
Turner-and newspaper editors attending their about. But defining what's at stake only carries
yearly convention in Washington turned out us to the threshold of a complex issue. It prob-
badly from every point of view. The CIA director ably isn't realistic to expect a CIA director sate- -
and the editors found little or no common -gorically to rule out. any source of agents. But
ground. Admiral Turner chose to be needlessly blunt
The clashing- interests may be irreconcilable. about a matter that he could have finessed.
But Admiral Turner seemed at best grossly *Surely, the general rule ought to be what the
insensitive-to press- concerns. While blandly ac- self-declared rule of the' CIA has .been in the re-
knowledging that journalism, religion and cent past - that it does not recruit journalists,
academia "have a special importance," he none- clergymen and academics as agents. One can ff
theless "recognized" (recognized?) that in imagine circumstances in which exceptions
"unusual circumstances" an individual from a might be tempting. As we observed in this space
news-gathering organization "may be used as an some weeks ago, "it would be difficult to object if
agent." To the consternation of his audience; he some undercover agent;.posing as a clergyman,
disclosed his approval of plans to use journalists had been admitted to the U.S. embassy in Tehran
in Agency work in three recent instances. For ... and had stumbled upon intelligence making
reasons he did not explain, the plans were never it possible to secure the release of the American.
carried out.' hostages there. Which is only to say the obvious
The editors, for their part, clung tenaciously to -'that emergencies tend to write their own
the'view that there should be no CIA use of jour- codes of law and ethics."
nalists, and were, until informed to the contrary
by Admiral Turner, under the impression that Newspapers, moreover, are not resourceless.
was the Agency's publicly declared policy. It was, They can fire any correspondent discovered to
at least, the policy stated by the Admiral's prede- be acting for the CIA on grounds of clear conflict
cessor, William Colby. of interest. That self-policing sanction would
The editors who most vehemently challenged probably suffice to minimize the problem, if not
Admiral Turner's views tale the position that eliminate it. But it would bean added measure of
any use of'a foreign correspondent as a CIA reassurance to those who report abroad if Admi-
agent contaminates all correspondents, enlarg- rat Turner were to restate the policy that his
ing the suspicion of their activities in the coun agency does not recruit reporters.
tries where they are- assigned' to report. "You gut this, above all, is not an issue that can be
!'have;" as the?executive editor of The New York usefully discussed in abstract and theoretical
Times told Admiral Turner; "cast doubt on-the. terms. The main point, perhaps, is that Admiral
ethical position of every American correspond- Turner ought to stick to the wise policy of his-
ent abroad." - :: predecessor, Mr. Colby, and -.apart from de-
The admiral said he didn't understand. Why,-. scribing general rules - keep his recruiting
he asked;-would it make the-press any less "free" policies to himself. He should not discuss cases
to accept an occasional assignment from him? that are pointlessly provocative.
Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200099-4