Reagan Plans Regular Press Conferences

President Reagan will give weekly interviews and regular news conferences, perhaps every month to six weeks, Deputy Press Secretary Larry Speakes said he was “pleased to report” Friday.

“We will have regular press conferences,” Speakes told reporters, and noted that he had been “pushing” for the President to meet once a month with the press.

Speakes said that if events intervene, Reagan may hold news conferences six weeks apart.

He said the President has “weekly interviews, more or less, for the next six months.”

In response to a question, Speakes said he had not discussed the question of the President’s accessibility to the media with Treasury Secretary Donald T. Regan, who will shift to the position of chief of staff when James Baker is confirmed as Treasury secretary.

“I wouldn’t think there will be any major change as far as I’m concerned,” Speakes said.

Last News Conference

Reagan held his last news conference on Jan. 9. Before that, his last major nationally televised news conference was on July 22. The President himself has not said publicly that he will hold regular news conferences, although Nancy Reagan has stated that she would like him to hold such sessions on a monthly basis.

“I think it’s a good idea,” she said in a recent interview.

On ending his last news conference, the President was asked if he would hold them on a monthly basis, and he replied, “Probably.”

The day after his reelection, Reagan met with reporters in Los Angeles and was asked if he would hold regular news conferences. “I won,” he quipped. “I don’t have to. . . . “

White House reporters also have urged Speakes to permit more daily coverage of presidential appointments. They have not seen Reagan for the last two days although he has had a number of meetings on his public schedule.