Fed mulls press briefings among transparency steps

Officials at the U.S. Federal Reserve have discussed holding regular press briefings to help improve public understanding of unusual actions by the Fed in times of crisis, a Fed official said on Tuesday.

Press conferences have been discussed among other ideas, the official said. The Fed has sought during recent upheaval to explain its actions to a broader public, the official said, citing Chairman Ben Bernanke's recent television interview and willingness to take questions from reporters after a speech.

(Reporting by Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Gary Hill)