Mockingbird: When Intelligence Borrowed the Voice of the Press
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?
⬛ CONFIDENTIAL nhat141210/data 8/14/2026 1 min read
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?
On February 11, 1976, Director of Central Intelligence William Colby signed a three page policy. It barred the CIA from paying or contracting with a full time or part time correspondent accredited by an American news service, newspaper, periodical, radio network, or television station. An intelligence agency had written a rule specifically about journalists. That raises a concrete question: what had the CIA been doing with press relationships before that date?