News & Terrorism

A Journalist's Guide to Covering Bioterrorism--Second Edition

RTDNF has updated "A Journalist's Guide to Covering Bioterrorism," with generous funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Journalists usually are uninvolved observers, reporting on events as they unfold. But as we know all too well--after the September 11 attacks on New York City and Washington--when anthrax hit, journalists and news organizations themselves became part of the story.

The very nature of an attack using biological weapons can present a unique set of difficulties and challenges for reporters, editors and producers as they struggle during a rapidly unfolding event to present the facts as clearly, objectively and dispassionately as possible.

To help reporters and producers prepare to tackle these stories; RTDNF has published "A Journalist's Guide to Covering Bioterrorism--Second Edition."

This updated guide features:

• New information about detection efforts
• Specific background on more types of biological weapons
• An expanded list of national and local contacts
• Updates on state involvement in terrorism

This 51-page publication is available for free and immediate download as a two-part PDF file (3 & 8 MB respectively), you'll need Adobe's free Acrobat Reader software to view it.

Download the publication now!

Share this with your colleagues and make it accessible to everyone at your assignment desk.

Bioterrorism Links

Walter Dean article
Walter Dean of NewsLab/Project for Excellence in Journalism wrote this informative essay on terror coverage.

For more information, contact: Nicole Newsome, 202.467.5208 or nicolen@rtnda.org