Ridge: media must prepare for terrorist acts.

Acknowledging that the news media art: a vital nexus of the nation's information awareness, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge implored reporters to be prepared for terrorist events.

"Similar to other first responders, members of the media rush toward danger, not away from it," he told media representatives at a Chicago roundtable. "But there may be a time when your audience needs more than the story."

Ridge told reporters and editors that their reactions could make the difference between life and death during an attack. "They may need information beyond the 'who, what, why, where and how' that could be critical to minimizing damage and saving lives," Ridge said. "We can help educate each of you so that in the event of an attack, you can react immediately."

The Radio-Television News Directors Association, which co-hosted the workshop with the National Academy of Sciences, advised its members to pre-assign beats and specific responsibilities in the event of a number of attacks.

Since the scope of possible methods of attack is so varied, homework must be done to specialize the coverage, the association noted. Experts and sources on a wide range of topics should be identified and contacted in advance.

Above all, media staff should have disaster plans in place that ensure personal safety and newsgathering abilities are preserved. The association recommends drafting advertising and sales staff to work the phones in the newsroom, testing of vital equipment such as power generators, and performing drills to spot weaknesses in the disaster plan.

Ridge said the learning process had to be two-way. "We're still learning how to inform the public without inciting any panic and hopefully avoiding any confusion," he said.