"All the local public television stations have invited top executives in their community to the teleconference," said Mr. Gentes.

In 1998 it was alleged that a director of a brokerage house regularly obtained insider information by inviting senior executives to Yab Yum.

Mr. Arledge said ABC invited executives of Food Lion to appear on the program for two minutes in which they could say "whatever they want."

Mr. Esrey said members of the Business Council now discuss whether they should wait to invite new chief executives to join the group, in case their tenure is brief.

Johnny Crawford and John Longenecker invited executives at Universal Studios to release the picture theatrically.

The council has invited executives from the advertising, publicity and modeling businesses to the meeting at its Manhattan offices.

Each year the leadership at Sapient, a technology consulting firm in Cambridge, Mass., invites senior executives it considers rising stars to go on a diving trip to Bermuda.

In past trips abroad, President Clinton has been a major booster of American business, inviting executives to travel with him and paying visits to American factories abroad.

Mr. Teel said he invited senior executives and administrators from those companies and institutions with which he was familiar.

President Reagan has invited corporate executives to the White House next Thursday to discuss the prospects of Canadian free trade, White House officials said.