CBS News Agrees to Turn Over ‘Outtakes’ of TWA Hijacking

Although three other networks are still considering the matter, CBS News said Friday it has agreed to make available to the Justice Department so-called “outtakes,” or portions not aired, of footage CBS News crews amassed in covering last month’s hijacking of TWA Flight 847.

The action was taken in response to a federal grand jury subpoena, served on CBS and the other networks Tuesday, seeking both broadcast and unbroadcast material stemming from coverage of the TWA hijacking that began in Athens and ended 17 days later in Beirut.

The material sought is to be used as evidence for government investigators trying to prepare a criminal case against the terrorists--whose identities are known according to Lebanese officials--who hijacked the jet, killed a Navy seaman aboard it, and held 39 other American men hostage.

NBC, ABC and Cable News Network previously had agreed to let Justice Depatment officials screen materials those networks had broadcast during their coverage of the hijacking story. But until Friday CBS had declined to say whether it also would do that.

Journalists usually resist subpoenas for their notes or unbroadcast material in all but extreme cases on grounds that to provide this material would make them seem either an arm of a government agency or compromise their role as news gatherers.

CBS News said in a statement that it had “decided to make available . . . broadcast and outtake materials . . .

“CBS News carefully considered the unique circumstances surrounding the TWA hijacking as well as long-standing CBS News policies which allow the release of non-broadcast materials essential to the investigation of crimes involving threats to human life.”