News In Brief

November 30, 1984

Pentagon agrees that actions by GIs be covered by papers

The Pentagon's top spokesman and two major press associations have tentatively agreed that newspaper reporters should be allowed to cover future military actions ''to the maximum extent possible.'' The spokesman, Michael Burch, said Thursday he would submit the agreement to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger for final approval.

The agreement was reached during a meeting earlier this month with representatives of the American Newspaper Publishers Association and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

It does not seek to specify beforehand how many newspaper reporters will accompany the military on every operation. Rather, it calls for maximum feasible coverage while recognizing that small ''pools'' may be necessary ''in the early hours of some military operations.''