REPORTERS AS CIA AGENTS? AN ALARMING SUGGESTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200109-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2007
• Sequence Number: 109
• Publication Date: April 14, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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STAT
Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200109-2
PROVIDENCE JOURNAL (RI)
14 April 1980 F
..rg suggestion
Even if, as. CIA.. Director Stansfield his country?" Could a publisher or for
Turner . told the- American Society of have any. faith in the stories written by an
Newspaper Editors at their annual_meetirig agent with such a dual loyalty? Could
last week, it were desirable-for journalists readers trust anything they read knowing
to double as agents for the Central-TIntelli- that reporters might be writing what some
Bence Agency when . on?. assignment government agency wanted them to write?.
abroad,, it surely made no sense to discuss Admiral Turner; as head of - the United
that proposal in am-open-forum. ? Admiral States' most sensitive intelligence agency,:
Turner's standing before the editors of this has a natural desire and indeed a duty to-
country's newspapers^to wave. this''par- .. ; seek out every-source of information he
ticu1ar. red flag defies comprehension and can. One.-might understand even while
common sense. ,t disagreeing, that in a fit-of-patriotic fervor
For argument's sake, grant that journal hemight be tempted to evade regulations:
its would Make'-'- superb undercover` -'and .quietly recruit journalist-spies. But if I
agents. Reporters. I
are, after. all,.'trained :_:..,;: the director entertains such heretical
observers, and the nature of-their business. ...thoughts, it is incomprehensible that he
is an ideal cover for explaining r their. Would choose to.advertise the fact before l
presence in hot spots and asking questions., all the world:
Washington last week, other than a cxip-~
Turner .may?havehel~l r
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turn off the Dow ofnews; p unag ofd both his own agency and of the
American press?. Other countries are now)
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press and electronic media 'paperman coming across= their.borders
government should so ask? Would he even .:- he will have thereby reduced-the value of
be prepared to plant-false. information in-a- -one of his agency's most prolificsourcesof
ct- i4
information- from lus nespaper;,: it the: .electronic media. Should that be the result,-.:
Just because,. of,;,ttiese`factors, American. American journalists may well find it-i
intelligence agencies of ten ask journalists harder henceforth to get visas to_Visit back from-overseas assignment if they are some countries. If they are let in, they may
willing to talk about -the areas in= which'* -'find-' doors closed _ to them that" would
they.have:been. Some. journalists -do, oth otherwise have-been open.. They maybe
ers=do not; depending orr whether they feel subjected to being followed. or harassed, or.
such interviews might compromise their even to.being -jailed and-tried-fore
spio=;
sources. or their professional;integi,ty - page And;'given the tenor of the regimes.:
But this is :a far =cry from .asking in - some countries, - it is not; unthinkable }
reporter towear?two hats-and act as a that 1Admiral- Turner's ownr statement:---
hired gun-. for one's government:.;.,Any ....-:.that'he:?is not'-: willing to-foreclose future
reporter- who`would.put himself is such a ?_ ? operations involving. journalists might,
position Would immediately be embroiled be used as evidence against""them.
in a hopeless conflict-of interest. To-which,. It_ is only ? an :added: irony that -byr
employer would he owe his-primary alle-` - grandstanding this issue;~and-so rendering:
'glance?.-If to the government, then would:4 the task of all American foreign -come-:
he; be willing to turno ver all information. - spondents more. difficult,. Admiral :Turner
(including the- names of. sources)-to: it?' '::-.may have helped turn off the flow of news
Would he be'prepared to -withholdsome;. _; from abroad. to the . American. press and-1
Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200109-2
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