GIBSON CHERISHES `POLITICAL CENTER'.

Byline: David Kronke Television Critic

Speaking to journalists via satellite from Larnaca, Cyprus, where the U.S. government is participating in an ``assisted departure'' (as opposed to ``evacuation'') of Americans from Lebanon, the anchor of the newly renamed ``World News With Charles Gibson'' discussed his move to evening news, the challenges for broadcast journalism today and the current political situation.

Gibson was under consideration for the anchor position before the network began its ill-fated two-anchor experiment in January. In quick order, one anchor, Bob Woodruff, was critically injured covering the war in Iraq, and the other, Elizabeth Vargas, announced she was pregnant.

``I'm sort of an accident of circumstances,'' Gibson said of his new job. Prior to January, ``(ABC News president) David Westin and I had long conversations. He wanted me only temporarily. ... I felt that if people knew when you were going to leave the chair before you get into the chair, you never really have that job.''

Since Woodruff's injury, the network has tightened its security for reporters.

``We do have the responsibility to be as careful as we can, but the fact of the matter is, we do have a job to do, and that job involves risk,'' said John Banner, ``World News'' executive producer.

``Our job is to bring the news to the American people, and that sometimes takes us to dangerous places.''

Gibson spoke of ``a new paradigm in anchor travel. I don't have an answer; we'll know it when we see it.'' As bloodshed broke out on the Israel/Lebanon border, Gibson said, it was pretty easy for the network to say, ``This is the place we ought to be.''

Beyond globe-trotting anchors, Gibson insisted it was more important for news divisions to establish permanent foreign correspondents.

``One thing we fight hardest for is to maintain budgets so we have good representation all around the world,'' he said. ``When an anchor travels, we're very sensitive to the people who cover the region and know it best.''

< On the other hand, Banner said, ``To expect people who spent their lives as reporters to stay in New York behind desks is naive.'' And sending an anchor ensures that big overseas stories receive the amount of coverage they merit in the newscast.

Unlike previous nightly news anchors, Gibson hasn't come under much fire for any perceived bias in his reportage.

``I consider it a badge of honor if you don't know which way I lean,'' Gibson said. ``I try to be pretty agnostic on most issues.'' He lamented the country's current political divide, and the ``disappearance of the political center in America. The political center is the great tradition in this country. -- I wish there was a way that we could get to this in the evening news.''

The network also announced that Woodruff is recovering ``rather miraculously'' but ``clearly has a long road ahead.''

David Kronke, [phone]

david.kronke(at)dailynews.com

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- Charles Gibson