Sample: Crisis Coverage Plan
FROM THE PRNDG [Public Radio News Director Guide]
This template is based on a plan created by KPBS (San Diego) and shared widely through
PRNDI.
Thanks to Michael Marcotte, Michael Flaster, Doug Myrland, Scott Horsley, Tom Fudge, John
Decker, Tammy Carpowich, Leng Loh, Grace Sevilla, Natalie Walsh, Alan Ray, Ed Joyce, Sarah
Rothenfluch, Pam Hardy and Kenny Goldberg
See Also: How To: Establish a Crisis Coverage Plan
See Also: Case Study: KPBS Crisis Coverage 2007
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
2
CRISIS COVERAGE
PLAN
On Air. On-Line.
Crisis Team Leaders:
Xxxx
Xxxx
Crisis Team Members:
Xxxx
Xxxx
Xxxx
Xxxx
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Mission
Act on Principle in Times of Crisis
When a disaster or emergency occurs, our radio station and
web site become primary news providers for our coverage
area. We serve several important roles:
 Vital Facts: We give calm, fact-based accounts of what is
happening, where it is happening, who is affected, how
things are changing. And we try to explain why.
 Resources & Lifeline: While remaining an independent
news source, we cooperate with authorities, agencies and
other media as needed to save lives and provide assistance.
 Early Warnings: We act promptly and proactively to
prevent loss of life and property by transmitting timely,
reliable information as early as possible.
 Community Forum: We connect citizens to each other,
giving them a way to come together and support one
another during difficult times.
At all times, we maintain journalistic values of accuracy,
fairness and independence.
And we strive to imbue all coverage with context, civility
and craftsmanship.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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ASSESS – MOBILIZE -- SERVE
 ASSESS
 IF YOU KNOW OF AN EMERGENCY, CALL A
CRISIS TEAM LEADER
 The Crisis Team Leader assesses the situation
 The Crisis Team Captain triggers response level 1-5
 MOBILIZE
 Level 1 -- ordinary staffing
 Level 2+ -- all news staff check-in with news desk
 Level 4-5 -- all station staff check-in with crisis point
supervisor
 SERVE
 Refer to the Crisis Coverage Plan according to alert
level 1-5
 Radio provides live summaries promptly, calmly,
carefully.
 On-Line provides instant alerts; news and resource
aggregation; UGC monitoring; mapping.
 Levels 3-5 -- Use Crisis Organization. Crisis Team
Captain leads response effort -- adjusting coverage
proportionately to severity and resources.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Level One -- Lowest Response Level
Isolated situation – affects relatively few people.
Examples: minor storms, minor flooding, remote quakes, minor plane crash, isolated
events not presenting an imminent threat.
On Radio:
Stay in format.
Use normal coverage in newscasts and breaks.
On Line:
Web should have first or fast.
Use radio reporters or wires as available.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Level Two -- Moderate Response Level
Isolated situation – but affects more people or is more
severe than level one.
Added urgency if potential to worsen.
Examples: Major storm watches, major highway tie-ups, large fires where smoke widely
visible, major crimes or events with high public curiosity but no wide, imminent threat.
On Radio:
All reporters check in with desk.
Newscaster or Host seeks earliest opportunity to air.
Update in format -- or bend format to add breaks or
newscasts.
Traffic service may supplement or handle.
On Line:
Web should have first or fast.
Use radio reports or wires as available.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Level Three -- High Response Level
High Urgency
Serious situation with potential for escalation
Wide impact or wide interest.
Examples: Severe storm warnings, extreme highway closures with casualties, large fires
with smoke and potential threat, major crimes with potential threat, isolated civil
disturbance, local but minor earthquakes, major public health threat, initial word of level
four and five events.
On Radio:
Newscaster or Host break format to provide special reports
All reporters check in with desk
Crisis Command desk installed
Air Host supports On-Line with request for U-G-C
Talk staff on stand-by for possible extended coverage
On Line:
Web should have as fast as radio.
Director to advise team, web editors report for duty, graphic
editor may accompany reporter to field.
Provide updates in coordination with radio editor.
Move breaking news to home page.
Possibly request U-G-C.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Level Four -- Extreme Response -- Non-Continuous
Severe situation with widespread impact
High urgency and high interest
Extended coverage of non-continuing event
Examples: Significant natural disasters, events with widespread casualties or potential
casualties, riots, military attack, school shooting, or similar major event with widespread
implications or overriding public interest/curiosity. Events have "ending in sight."
On Radio:
Deploy special coverage format
All Staff check-in with Crisis Supervisor
Crisis Command Desk installed
Host calls for U-G-C
On Line:
Deploy special home page display
Microsite combines all radio and network coverage
Call for U-G-C
Roll out on-line community-connection tools,
mapping, etc.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Level Five -- Extreme Response -- Continuing
Disastrous situation. Extreme urgency.
Rolling coverage of ongoing events.
Examples: catastrophic local natural disaster, on-going event with major casualties or
potential for casualties, widespread civil disturbance, war or attack or similar major event
with widespread implications or overriding public concern.
On Radio:
Deploy rolling coverage format
All Staff check-in with Crisis Supervisor
Crisis Command Desk installed
Host calls for U-G-C
On Line:
Deploy special home page display
Microsite combines all radio and network coverage
Call for U-G-C
Roll out on-line community-connection tools,
mapping, etc.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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CRISIS COVERAGE "MACHINERY"
NEWSROOM staff focuses on coverage -- providing
facts, stories and newscasts.
ON-AIR staff focuses on synthesizing information
during live presentation.
ON-LINE staff focuses on simultaneous synthesis and
distribution via web and mobile text.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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CRISIS COVERAGE ORGANIZATION
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Crisis Procedures
EXAMPLE OF DETAILS INSTRUCTIONS TO GO HERE:
Procedures for Newsroom Team:
Procedures for On-Air Team:
Procedures for On-Line Team:
Procedures for Operations & Support Teams
OTHER NOTES:
News Director takes role of Crisis Team Captain during Levels 3-5
Crisis Command Center will be in Performance Studio. Computer and Phone hook-ups for Crisis Captain
and Four Team Leaders. Also white board for scheduling rotations.
Level 4-5 requires origination from talk studios.
Level 5 requires two teams, A and B for rotations. See attachments for team assignments.
Senior Editor will handle external network news requests.
General Manager will work with Operations to manage external links to University, City, County and all
other Employees.
See attached staff list for extra staffing roster according to skills and experience to lend a hand.
Operations will handle switch from automation system to live control after hours.
Engineers will advise on changes to coverage area in case of switch to back-up site.
In case of loss of phone service, operations has two-way radios for five people. See pre-assignments.
In dangerous field circumstances, no reporter should go beyond what is reasonably safe to cover. Also,
expect to work in two person teams where possible.
Remember to distinguish between what callers say and what has been verified! Newscasts will only use
verified information or from trusted sources.
Station needs standing, written permission from area television stations to rebroadcast audio.
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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Technical Considerations
•
•
Review Field Equipment Needs & Address Them
Review Back-up Power & Back-up Communication Systems
Safety Considerations
•
Review Food, Water, Cash & Personal Safety Concerns in Catastrophic
Scenarios – Plan Accordingly
Government/Agency Plans


Update EAS plan and when to go automatic and when to go manual assist.
Plan meeting with county department of emergency services for access to
county command center.
Contacts



Attach the staff emergency contact list.
Familiarize staff with newsroom emergency contact database (and tear
sheet).
Update all contact lists annually
Training
•
Establish multiple scenario staff training program
Other Considerations
•
Look at ways to incorporate NPR & other network needs into plan
CRISIS COVERAGE PLAN
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CRISIS COVERAGE
STAFFING PLAN -LEVEL FOUR / FIVE
ROLES
Crisis Team Captain
ON AIR TEAM
On Air Team Leader
Host 1
Host 2
Booking Producer 1
Booking Producer 2
Technical Director
Screener
Screener 2 / Verifier
Back-End Producer
Back-End Editor
Master Control
NEWSROOM TEAM
News Team Leader
News Anchor
Reporter 1
Reporter 2
RESPONSIBILITIES
SHIFT ONE
SHIFT TWO
SHIFT THREE
Oversee all
coordination and
coverage
News Dir
News Dir / Prgm Dir
Prgm Dir
Producer
Bck Up Host
Co-Host Sub 1
Asst Prod 2
Assoc Producer
2nd Bck Up Host
Co-Host Sub 2
Asst Prod 3
TD 2
screener 2
TD 3
Screener 3
news prod 2
news prod 3
student 2
student 3
PM announcer
Back up Announcer
line produce live show Senior Producer
Host
Talk Host
Co-host
Co-Host
generate ideas; book
Asst Prod 1
guests
generate ideas; book
guests
direct live show
TD 1
screen calls
Screener 1
help screen calls; get
verification info
for news-worthy calls
listen to show; pull
news prod 1
clips; write script for
clips; prepare info for
next team
work with back-end
student 1
producer to
pull clips
master control as usual AM announcer
coordinate reporters
and assignments
news anchor as usual
reporter in the field
reporter in the field
Senior Editor
Senior Ed/News Dir News Dir/Senior Ed
AM Anchor
biz beat rptr
gen assn rptr
PM Anchor
border beat rptr
metro beat rptr
Backup Anchor
health beath rptr
ed beat rptr
coordinate content and
assignments
Web Editor
Web Editor/Web
Producer
Web Producer
post content to web
Web Producer 1
Web Producer 2
Web Producer 3
vet UGC and add
photos
Photo Ed 1
Photo Ed 2
Photo Ed 3
ON LINE TEAM
Web Team Leader
Web Producer
UGC/Photo Editor