SAC Portland to Director re media matters, NORJAK
This copy: Part 41 pp. 431–432Also filed at Part 10 pp. 281–282 (primary) · Part 76 pp. 8–9
This copy’s own title
SAC Portland to Director (Public Affairs) re NORJAK media matters
Document date 8 May 1978
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 10 pp. 281–282.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
Also filed separately as sections:
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Id: Cooper-Part-41:431-432
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-41:431-432 Document: Memo SAC Portland to Director (Public Affairs) re NORJAK media matters Id: Cooper-Part-41:431-432 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-41%3A431-432 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
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FBI 164-81, Vault Part 41 pp. 431–432 (DB Cooper-16546–16547), Memo, dated 8 May 1978, serial SE 164-81-7892 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-41%3A431-432
5/8/78
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TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (164-2111) ATTN. PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
FROM: SAC, PORTLAND (164-41) (P)
MEDIA MATTERS
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ReBuTel to all Field Divisions dated 5/5/78, captioned, "NORJAK. O 164-81
Referenced airtel instructs that any additional press inquiries concerning this 6 1/2 year old investigation be referred to the Seattle Division for handling and sets forth the text of what Seattle considers the only information that should be released to the press.
Portland concurs in the theory that all media inquiries be handled by one Bureau spokesman in any investiga- tion which has national or regional interest. Certainly NORJAK falls within this area and Seattle, as office of origin, should indeed respond to all media inquiries to the extent deemed appropriate by Seattle and the Bureau.
Portland feels, however, that its media credibility will not be enhanced with this posture in this case at this point in time. As the Bureau and Seattle are aware, Portland, at Bureau instructions, has been responding since NORJAK began to the national media inquiries, including cooperation in a 30-minute TV documentary. Further, Portland case Agent, again at Bureau request, responded to a background type
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2-Bureau 2-Seattle 1 Portland
AGB:lam (5)
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[handwritten] 164-81 - 7892 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED MAY 10 1978
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DB Cooper-16546
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b6 b7C b7D
PD 164-41
interview by [illegible] representing [illegible] for "60 Minutes," CBS, New York, on 5/4/78, just prior to the issuance of retel.
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For the Portland Division at this point in time to take a non-cooperative posture with the media can only diminish the credibility of this Division's media relations, not to mention the overall Bureau credibility with the media. I am confident that the information released prior to my arrival in the Portland Division and am equally certain that the information released subsequent to my arrival in the Portland Division has in no way invaded the privacy of witnesses or otherwise had any adverse affect on the prosecutive potential of this case. To the contrary, it has been the notoriety generated by Portland's cooperation with the media that has maintained a steady flow of information coming from the general public. It can be readily understood that the failure to solve this case is not the type of publicity which any individual office of the Bureau as a whole would be soliciting. With the lack of positive investigative leads, the cooperation of the public is for all practical purposes the only source of informa- tion which may lead to the solution of the case. The text of the release suggested by Seattle certainly does not give the public (our source of leads in this matter) a full profile of D. B. COOPER.
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It is Portland's recommendation that the Bureau adopt the general policy of one Bureau spokesman in any investigation which has national or regional interest and that the information to be released be coordinated by the SAC of that office and the Public Affairs Office at FBIHQ, and that this practice and procedure be established at the outset of the investigation to preclude the very reasons that are articulated by Seattle in retel. Obviously, it then becomes the responsibility of the spokesman office to meet the entire media responsibilities for the Bureau as a whole for the life of the investigation.
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DB Cooper-16547
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-2-
Serials: 164-2111, PD 164-41, SE 164-81, SE 164-81-7892