FBI retools, updates Most Wanted list

0 Comments | USA TODAY, January, 2008 | by Kevin Johnson

WASHINGTON -- Those grainy mug shots, once confined to post office lobbies, are coming to a billboard near you.

The FBI is retooling its Top 10 Most Wanted list into an increasingly multimedia, international appeal for help as it tries to keep its signature program relevant in a crowded media landscape.

"We're trying to exploit every opportunity," FBI spokesman Chris Allen says. The strategy is "probably pretty surprising for a government agency."

Among the changes:

*Launching a billboard campaign. This month, the FBI began featuring top fugitives on billboards in 20 cities.

*Expanding the list's international reach. The FBI is building on its broadcast alliance with the popular America's Most Wanted TV show to solicit tips on...