But Schwartz, an authority on contemporary China, also noted that "even given the fact that U.S. correspondents are not allowed in China," there should be more reporting on internal developments.

Helio Jaguaribe, visiting professor of Government, said that in Latin America "there are quite a lot of facts fit to print that don't appear in the New York Times"--primarily because not enough space is made available by the editors. In its analysis, as well as its spot news coverage, he said, the Times' editorial bias often causes it to accept at face value official assurances of progress.

Montgomery noted that the Times "seems to be spread pretty thin" in Africa. As a result he said, its coverage tends to be episodic and spasmodic."

The majority of those interviewed, however, seemed to agree with Safran that these complaints were "well taken but utoplan."

Lichthelm Challenged

The academic community, said Safran, has failed to provide the broader view of sociological and political movements that would guide the reporter of day to day events in more interpretive coverage. "I challenge Mr. Lichtheim to mention five books that would provide guidance to an intelligent Times reporter in Latin America," Safran said.

"After all," he continued, "The Times cannot maintain a research institute in every capital. The reporter who is going out to South America cannot go to school forever like the professor.