PUBLIC RELATIONS HOPELESS AT CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000400440031-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: October 21, 1977
• Content Type: NSPR

3 '1?& RED'
i. p nt
Public Relation's...
ok1S at CIA
Organizations -- both public and private -
spend huge amounts. of. time and money
seekingacceptance and uhderstariding. But,
even the ..slickest of efforts. are sometimes.,,:.
doomed.
re:
Last. week--.1. watched an important
government:: agency flop.rmiserably.,As part: f;
of its new openness. policy the CIA invited a
group of Journalists to a "candid briefing.,'..
session". and tour of its McLean
headquarters:
I had been looking forward. to the CIA's
first organized media. tour.. I had hoped so :.'
see the .world's most sophisticated photo
lab, the locksmith. shop. were safecrackers
are trained, or. maybe the "prop ,. depart-
ment" where,'.!,-Hunt and Liddy " were
equipped before they, broke- into Daniel'.:
Elsberg's- psychiatrists's- office.;
No such _ Iuck. All-: I saw was a hand
some auditorium alid reception root, plus...
long corridors, decorated with abstract art
and portraits of, former Agency 'directors.
.The need .for. mutual respect., was'. the,
briefings theme. The. tone was apologetic.,
The CIA's e. leadership.`,,' recognizes. the =
-paradoxical `,relationship . between. spyin
.and the-free flow of information Still they
apparently believe charm will make: thus
press` more benign
irreconcilable . conflict, the..:brieting> team
new era. of. frankness . had arrived.: If they,,
were "reasonable'-'; reporter :inquiries
{
would
be
.FRANKNESS IMPOSSIBLE . dr
The evening .. included,,some :showman-
ship. A piece of dissolving paper'was placed"'
in a drinking glass._It,disappeared..Then the,
speaker; ate a sheet. Afterwards he passed;'.
' out samples, suggesting that notetakers
might want to e44d to vs ds.Release 2005101113: CIA-RDP88-01315R
Approved For Release 13 ,t .. P91 315R0 0400440031-9
21 OCTOBER 1.977
Questions about agents, areas ' o
operation, budgets, employe relations were
all, treated the same way. They were
summarily dismissed.
"That's something we can't discuss," was
repeated again and again. The response
was proper. .
After each. rebuff I asked myself, why
invite: people to a question-and-answer
session when free discussion is prohibited.
It is impossible to be open and frank about
an organization whose work is covert and
clandestine.
The CIA's 14 person public relations staff
has a head you win, tails I lose assignment.
While'.. its successes remain secret, its
failurei,.(Bay of Pigs, Chile,. Vietnam's
President:; Diem) are aired in the public.
Would;,~'the CIA _cansider press
backgrounders like those conducted at the
White House and Pentagon, one journalist
asked.- The ,answer: "Absolutely noa.We
talk on the record. Or not at all.'" ,
SWEET TALK
The Freedom of Information Act is posing
problems for the CIA. Although it involves.
public disclosure, it is not a public relations.
matter in the usual sense. .
.Over 100 CIA people (lawyers, librarians,
translators, scientists, technicians, in
addition to' clerical and stenographic
personnel) work full time on Freedom of
Information inquiries. CIA documents are
unique. In an apparently innocuous
document may be references to specific
agents or incidents. These must be deleted. .
Declassification by category or subject is
impossible.
There is a big difference between
"honesty" and "openness". Smooth public
relations cannot make them the same, or
even similar.. It'`only ' emphasizes.' the
distinction.
Under no circumstances will:. the:CI'A':
disclose information about "sources-and
methods". Spies'. names, as well' as their
techniques. locations; and procedures; will
be protected to,- the.. end. ,.That is-how it-
should be
-Those who conduct- foreign intelligence
operations on behalf of a free society play.
an ambiguous role. Their press' relations
will always be:. strained. ; -And .public
relations -sweet :-f talk _; won't make them
better:} 'i t 1;.