CIA HEAD WOULD USE PRESS SPIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200124-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2007
• Sequence Number: 124
• Publication Date: April 11, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200124-5
NEWSDAY (N.Y.
)
11 APRIL 1980
By Thomas Collins
Newsday Media Writer-.
Washington-The gap between the CIA and the
press '.widened yesterday when ' the CIA director,
Adm. Stansfield Turner, told newspaper editors
that he saw nothing wrong with the practice of us-
ing American journalists on covert operations if un-
usual national security reasons warranted it. A
correspondent might be "uniquely placed to serve
his country in important circumstances,"-- he said.
Speaking in response to questions at the Ameri-
can Society of Newspaper Editors convention, Turn-
ersaid that he was puzzled by editors who oppose
the practice. "I don't understand it, .1 really don't," i
he said. "You're saying that if you serve your coun-
try; you're fio longer free. If you slant the news,
that's bad, but at least you're free to do so. But re-
porting. information to us somehow profanes your
work. I'm sorry, I don't understand the connection
you make." Turner said that the agency would re-.
sort to using journalists only in exceptional circum-
stances. He said he- had changed the policy of
former CIA Director: George Bush, now a Republi-
can presidential candidate, which had been not to
r use journalists, the clergy or academics in agency
assignments. But Turner said that any such use
would have to be approved by him. He had ap-
proved only three cases, he said, but none of the co-.
vert operations was carried out.
"I think a lot of correspondents are. patriotic
enough. to do this,'" he said. He added that it would
be up to the individual journalist whether-to inform
his news organization that he was working for the
CIA on the side.
Some editors felt strongly that the policy casts
doubts o... the-journalistic independence of American
correspondents abroad and could result in their being
accused as spies. A. M. Rosenthal, executive editor of
The New York Times, who questioned Turner closely
on the subject, called the CIA policy "shocking.
"It endangers the reputations and even the lives
of foreign correspondents," Rosenthal said.
Eugene Patterson, editor of the St. Petersburg
Times, said he was going to write- an editorial ex-
pIaininng to the CIA why many in the press opposed
the practice. Not all of the editors at the convention
agreed, however. Randall Terry, -president of the
HigIlloint (N.C.) Enterprise, said he supported the
CIA policy: is managing eeditor,. Joe E. Brown, ,
was against it. "We're going to have write two edi-
torials," Terry said.. Jerry Ausband of the Myrtle
each (S.~..) Sun News; said he.thought-"you co u
down on. either side of the issue.-and not feel .
guilty. It's not t-a black and white situation." _
Approved For Release 2007/06/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100200124-5