Jet Threat Scrambles Crews; Shows Switch Topics on a Dime as Terrorism Plot Unveiled.(TV...

Byline: Michele Greppi

The first message that hit NBC News President Steve Capus' pager at 1:13 a.m. last Thursday "was vague enough that it didn't set off the alarms,'' he said. "`U.K. police arrest several in plot to blow up U.K.-to-U.S. flights.'''

Two hours later, the message on Mr. Capus' pager was "homeland security raises security levels.''

By then, all the network news organizations in the U.S. were in full scramble with their London crews to assemble reports on the arrests of 24 people who had planned to blow up to 10 U.S.-bound planes o