LETTER TO MR. REUVEN FRANK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01350R000200300083-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 83
• Publication Date: July 28, 1972
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2004/10/13 CIA-RDP88-01350R000200300083-0
ACCURACY
IN
MEDIA
NCep
,501 ('1111tT'liENT11 ST1?Els'7', N.W.
SUITE 1012
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20004
(202) 7,77 9357
I)r, I rands C. Wilson, President!/Alhhons I Hackl, Vice President C H ?0
Abraham 1('"Kalish, Ixec?utiveSecreLary/John K. McLean, Treasurer t ccccU` ~ e
David S. Lichlensiein, General Counsel
NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD: - plc Co c A t
The Hon. Oean Achesonf/Murray Baron/ Ambassador Elbridge Durbrow
Dr. William Yandell Elliott/Morris L. Ernst/Eugene Lyons/Dr. Charles Burton Marshall
R. Adm.' William C. Mott, USN (Rel.)/Edgar Ansel Mowrer
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July 26, 1972 r ` . S s l*^~
Mr. Reuven Frank
OZ- .;5_14 ll ?#
Presidents Dr~gTr
NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New 'York, N. Y.
Dear Mr. Frank :
Accuracy in Media wishes to call to your attention a few apparently
erroneous statemehts in the Chronolog program of July 28 on-the narcotics
traffic in-Southeast Asia.
Mr. Utley, the narrator, made the following statement.
"CIA gent to'the publishing house of Harper & Row to get and to read
the manuscript of McCoy's book before its publication date. And surprisingly
Hurcper and Row acquiesced. It surrendered to the threat of prior censorship."
A story of this matter was published in The New York Times. on July 22.
According to this story, CIA 'asked to have an opportunity to review the book
because it believed that it contained statements concerning the agency that were
totally false and without foundation. The CIA letter' to Harper and Item s;tcated:
"It is our belief that no reputable publishing house would wish to publish such alle:-
gations without'boing assured that the supporting evidence was valid."
B.' Brooks Thomas, vice president' and general, counsel of Harper and flow, said-
"We're not-submitting to censorship or anything like that.' We're taking a responsible
middle position. I just believe, that the CIA should have the chance to review it."
p
at.
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serious inaccuracies and to refuse to permit those able to point out the inaccuracies
to have an opportunity to do so prior to publication. By taking every precaution
to insure accuracy, the publisher helps establish his own credibility, the credibility
of the book, and he avoids increasing the amount of misinformation that circulates
in public channels. We do not think this has any connection with censorship, which
connot s logal compulsion to prevent statements from being published. Since CIA has
no legal power to prevent Harper and Row from publishing anything, MMr. Utley's: charge
that 'thd publisher had submitted to 'prior 'censorship seems to be clearly false.
r r robably c(x1v'0y0d
A t&! ff 0 00083-0
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