Ready to premiere from TV One is "Find Our Missing" narrated by longtime "Law & Order" veteran S. Epatha Merkerson, which focuses on real life missing persons in America's black community.
"Find Our Missing" airs its first episode Wednesday, January 18 on TV One a network self-described as dedicated to "lifestyle and entertainment for African American adults."
After 16 years of playing a fictional crime fighter on "Law & Order", Merkerson is turning to stories about missing persons, with the hope that the public will provide clues to finding them.
In a similar vein to the long running "America's Most Wanted" hosted by John Walsh, the producers of the series are out to solve the puzzle to disappearances that don't make headlines on shows like Headline News' popular "Nancy Grace" and other national cable or syndicated programs.
TV One's CEO and President Wonya Lucas told the AP, "The local and regional press does a good job. The national press doesn't really cover these stories to the extent that they should, and that's a void that TV One will now fill."
The show format will cover two cases each episode. Along with Merkerson's narration, there will be reenactment scenes using professional actors to add to video and photos of the case subjects.
Update: Episode One presented the curious case of Pam Butler and her mysterious disappearance
The announcement of the show's debut by TV One read in part, "Find Our Missing is designed to put names and faces to people of color who have disappeared without a trace. Each episode will tell the story of the missing person or persons, beginning with the day they vanished and the frantic searches by loved ones and investigators to find them."
Donna Wilson, the exec producer of "Find Our Missing" knows that there is a fine line between dramatization and lurid details that aren't necessary to accomplish the purpose. "We are painfully aware that these are not just stories. These are people's lives."
Wednesday's premiere features two people missing since 2009. Pamela Butler a 47-year-old Program Analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency, mysteriously disappeared from inside her Washington, D.C. home despite an elaborate security system.
Hassani Campbell, a five year-old suffering from cerebral palsy vanished from the Rockridge neighborhood in Oakland, California. His foster father, who was dropping off Hassani at his foster mother’s job, says he left him alone for just moments when he took Hassani’s younger sister to the front of the store.
TV One is carried by various cable television distributors and says it is currently in 56 million homes across the country. "Find Our Missing" airs at 10 p.m. EST.
Image source: S. Epatha Merkerson publicity photo
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Comments
#1 This show is BS!!! AMW
This show is BS!!! AMW reports on ALL races not just WHITES!!!!!! If ANY producers wanted to do a missing show with ONLY whites they would immediately be called RACIST!!!!! So what is this show, RACIST, that's what!!!!!! I grew up with ppl of ALL races, in fact my beloved babysitter was colored, and I was never racist towards ANYONE but it's this kind of CRAP that has made me see just how racist the COLORED ppl are!!!!! I will NOT watch this show b/c IT is a RACIST SHOW that I refuse to support!!!!! If this show starts showing ALL races then I would watch it!!!!!! >:(
#2 Good idea, poor execution
I find the advertising for this show to be offensive. I agree that there is a problem with "equal coverage" of missing people, however for them to say this show is about finding "our people" is just wrong. We will never get rid of racism in this country until we are all one people. Remember, it goes both ways. If this show was only about missing caucasian people, the protests would be ridiculous. Make the show about ALL the missing!
#3 Missing African Americans
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 2012-01-17.
First of all, this is not offensive because many caucasians who were missing for years have always been in the news, and from time to time, their pictures and memories are kept alive at all times. I am glad there is a show that is going to focus on Black people who have been missing. I remember in Chicago the two young girls Tionda, and Diamond Bradley who are still missing. I hope this show get million of views.
#4 Walk in our shoes
I have a relative that's been missing for 8 years. My family has been trying to get coverage for my nephew for years. Until you experience the hopelessness of not being able to get a love ones story in the media you can't begin to feel the gut wrenching pain that someone carries when a love one disappears. All I can say is THANK YOU! Someone is finally listening.
#5 Sorry
I'm sorry for what your family has been forced to experience with the disappearance of your nephew. But stories of the missing should be reported regardless of the color of the person's skin.
What about the show Disappeared? Are we all forgetting that there is a television show that focuses on those who are missing? I've seen stories of all types of people on that show - young, old, white, black, latino - isn't that what we want? A focus on missing people and not on missing people of a particular race?
What is your nephew's name and under what circumstances did he go missing? Date, place, anything you want to share?
#6 AMW
First of all, this is not offensive because many caucasians who were missing for years have always been in the news, and from time to time, their pictures and memories are kept alive at all times. I am glad there is a show that is going to focus on Black people who have been missing. I remember in Chicago the two young grisl Tionda, and Diamond Bradley who are still missing. I hope this show get milkion of views.
#7 Missing people are not covered equally
This year there have been several national stories on missing white kids -- Casey Anthony of course is the most visible and in recent weeks, the story of Ayla Reynolds. I cannot think of a single case with a missing black kid that made national news. Why is that? The reason this show exists is because the mainstream media isn't doing an equal job of covering missing kids (or adults) it wouldn't be necessary if the level of coverage was consistent for all cases.
#8 "Colored"
When you refer to people being "colored" you are including yourself for it is all people of different shades that make us people of wondrous variety on the color spectrum. As such, when you refer to "colored people" being racist you include yourself, your beloved babysitter along with everyone else. Is that really what you intended to say?
#9 Racist!
I totally agree this show is raciest! There is more than just this show that just focuses on the blacks, I received a clothing magazine in the mail that was just for black women, no other race was pictured in it. Before that I had received one that was focused on all hispanics. but let us "white people" create a show on all whites or create a magazine w no blacks or hispanics in it and see how the world reacts to them! Bs is putting it mildly!
~B~
#10 I totally AGREE 100%!!! The
I totally AGREE 100%!!! The blacks keep getting more & more stuff that are for Black ppl ONLY and before we know what's happened, they will have EVERYTHING black only!!!!! One more thing, I absolutely dislike Obama but it's NOT b/c he's black, it's be cause he wants to turn our country into Sh*t!!! If Condaleesa Rice would have ran for President I would have been the first one at the booths voting YES for her!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't have a problem with good Black ppl, I just have a problem with the one's that think everyone OWES them something!!!!!!!!!!!! One of my favorite movies is the Roots series & the slave owners that did the blacks wrong definitely owed their slaves ALOT but NOT their slaves' DECENDENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blacks now a days have this mentality of "Your Great great great great great great Grandfather owned my Great great great great great great Grandfather & Grandmother so YOU owe me something" What about the Indians that were here in America FIRST and ALL their land was taken, their families killed, their teepee's burnt?????? All of our ancestors at one time or another was done VERY wrong by someone but I'm not running to Germany wanting them to give me special privilege's b/c my ancestors were cruely treated by their ancestors!!!!! Why aren't American black ppl going over to Africa & telling those ppl that they owe them something b/c their ancestors kidnapped & sold the American Blacks' ancestors??????
#11 SUPPORATIVE OF THE MISSING!!!!!!!!!!!!
UNTIL YOU HAVE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY MEMBER MISSING ,APPARENTLY YOU ARE WHITE IF THAT IS THE CASE YOU WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT IT HAS SHOWN WITH MEDIA COVERAGE,HONESTLY IF YOU WOULD SIT BACK AND THINK HOW MANY BLACKS ARE COVERED BY THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA? (NONE) YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND IT A WHOLE LOT BETTER UNTIL YOU DO UNDERSTANT IT DONT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
#12 Like I said in 1 of my
Like I said in 1 of my previous post, I don't have a problem with a show that makes sure that they give equal coverage to ALL missing races but I do have a problem with a "just blacks" missing show!!!! I'm not judging, just stating a fact, but if I were judging it would be the inside(character) of the person NOT the skin color!!!!!
#13 Oh my goodness! The use of
Oh my goodness! The use of the phrase 'OUR PEOPLE" is WRONG WRONG WRONG... !!! TNT is out of their minds if they think this type of hype is acceptable. I encourage all/many to voice their outrage in regard to this racist advertisment/sentiment. the producers / writers / participants (S. EPATHA MERKERSON) are promoting racial division... ugly ugly stuff.
#14 100% AGREE!!!!! If more ppl
100% AGREE!!!!! If more ppl would rally up against this kinda of racism from colored ppl this stuff wouldn't happen but we as white Americans have kept quite & peaceful for so long that they think this is acceptable behavior!!!! I'm tired of it and I just want EVERYONE to be equal and not think they're special & should have special rights!!!! =)
#15 REPLY
BY YOU EVEN CALLING YOUR OWN BABYSITTER COLORED THATS HOW SHOWS U HOW VERY CLOSED MIND U ARE AND AMW DO PROFILE MORE WHITE KIDS THAN BLACK
#16 I used the word COLORED
I used the word COLORED because that's what the SHOW is calling that race so I thought I'd be respectfull and use the same term!!! Since you think using the term Colored is being closed minded then you're saying that the Show's producers are closed minded!!! I don't get it, Colored ppl call each other N*ger but if White ppl say that same name then we're being racist, When the Colored ppl call themselves Colored it's ok but if White ppl say colored then we're being racist!!! You all are such hipocrits!!! WHAT do colored ppl want to be called? African American makes no sense b/c 99% of that population was born in America NOT Africa so why should they be called AFRICAN AMERICAN??????!!!!! White Americans don't walk around saying you should call us Irish American or German American or Asian American or Polish American NO we ARE JUST AMERICANS with different nationality bloodlines, so what!!!!!! Everything I've said in this comments section IS true & I have stepped on some toes for which NONE of you have came back with any statements that make any sense nor do any of you want to ADMIT that this IS the TRUTH!!!!!!! I feel so sorry for you b/c you will live your whole life hating white ppl & you will raise your children to be the same way just like your parents taught you to be!!!!!!!! I have ALWAYS taught my children to LOVE everyone & be nice to everyone but when they see you all act the way you do they can't help but ask why???? I was at my local Dollar General store about 2mo after Obama was elected & there was 2 women friends together (1 was White the other Black) and there was a Black man standing there holding the door open for them and as soon as the Black woman walked in HE shut the door in the White womans face!!!!! The Store Clerk asked the man why he did something so rude & His reply was "Obama is president now so we don't have to be nice to the Crackers anymore"!!!!!!! My 8 year old Daughter was so shocked & she asked me why he would do that & I told her the TRUTH!!!!!! Everything that I had taught them their whole life about ALL races were equal went straight out the window!!!! Black ppl live a double standard life, they can call us Crackers & Honkys and it's ok but if WHITES say Black or Colored or N*ger then we're being Racist!!!! SUCH HIPOCRITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#17 Helping families
find missing members is a noble goal. The network has high hopes for the series. Whether it gets as popular as "America's Most Wanted" remains to be seen.
#18 Disturbing
I agree that a program that focuses on a problem that affects people of all color, all nationality, and all religious and ethnic backgrounds seems a bit racist. Maybe there hasn't been as much focus, in general, on missing minorities, but I think there are many families of missing people who don't get the media attention and their loved ones are not minorities - they just aren't young attractive girls.
I'd prefer a program that focuses on missing people, regardless of age, race, background or anything other than the fact that they are missing. I won't be watching this show until it expands to include all races.
#19 Got to start somewhere
If this show is successful it might just spawn another one of general interest on a network that is more high profile. You never know
#20 There are millions of White
There are millions of White ppl, Asian ppl, Hispanic ppl & every other race that you can think of that does NOT get any media coverage so their excuse for this ALL BLACK show is NOT good enough!!!! ALL races have a RIGHT to have their loved ones searched for NOT just black ppl!!!! Are the producers going to start more shows for EACH race that are in the US? NO THEY WON'T!!!!!! This is just another example of what race is really the real RACISTS!!!!!! To this person who said that they have never seen missing black children or ppl in the media, Well obviously YOU don't watch AMW, Disappeared or any of the other shows that cover missing ppl b/c I have watched MANY MANY story's about missing Black, Asian, Hispanic etc ppl!!!!! Black ppl will literately start a riot if they think that white ppl are being racist but they think it's ok for them to be racist and white ppl shouldn't say anything about it?!!!! Well I'm not going to stay quiet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#21 I am a women of color and I
I am a women of color and I agree our people do not get fair coverage when they come up missing. The news is so willing to focus on the negative when it comes to colored people but nevr on our missing children. If people want to talk about prejudice lets talk about Nancy Grace who focuses solely on white americans missing on her show and the few times she did have a person of colored she limited to a 2 min news flash. Really fair is fair lets not be the pot calling the kettle black. True there is a lot a racism still in the world but when its comes to fair news coverage which end is it really coming from
#22 I don't have a problem with a
I don't have a problem with a show that makes sure that missing Colored ppl have great Media coverage as well as all other races but this show is plain & simply Racist!!!! As for the media coverage about colored ppl's crimes, the reason for that is b/c colored ppl don't protest peacefully, they just start riots and steal and burn stuff down & alot more destruction! That's why our Prison Systems are over-flowing...........75% of the prison population are colored ppl!!!!!!
#23 wow most black people are in
wow most black people are in jail for starting riots and stealing .You really should do yoyur research. Most men of color who are locked up are in jail for non violent crimes sale of narcotics. Maybe you should look at how many white people are locked up for being serial killers, killing their husband ,wives and children for money or just plain greed. you people value money more than your own family lives, you dont see that in black families so whos the violent race.
#24 I didn't say MOST colored
I didn't say MOST colored ppl....I said 75% of the PRISON population is colored!!! Also, those who are in there b/c of Drugs are also the same ppl that the working American ppl are supporting by Food Stamps & Welfare so they can go spend what little money they have on DRUGS!!!!! So your attitude towards "it's just drugs" isn't all that great now is it?????
#25 Wow...
Jesus christ you are so ignorant...Black people are violent and cant do anything peaceful? You sound just like the whites who think black people are sex crazed beast & have smaller craniums than whites...
#26 Oh yeah about the value of
Oh yeah about the value of Families, I know you didn't just compare the lack of violence in colored homes as a way of saying that coloreds value their family more than white ppl b/c the last time I checked the HUGE majority of the coloreds "Baby Daddy" has NEVER even met their OWN kids much less take care of them!!!!!!!! Oh yeah they value their families more don't they???!!!!haha Colored ppl are so business thinking that the white man owes them something b/c their ancestors were slaves to our white ancestors but White ppl don't owe colored ppl ANYTHING!!!! Whites weren't the one's who put colored ppl into slavery to begin with......it was the COLORED's OWN race that kidnapped African ppl and SOLD them to the whites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So the Black race has their OWN ancestors to blame!!!!!!
#27 Getting Crazy!
These comments are getting crazy! Let's stick to the issue. African americans now have a show that supports them. So if you have a problem with the show DON'T WATCH IT. its just that easy. Maybe you are the one thats racist? Your comments are beginning to sound like you are.
#28 My comments are stating
My comments are stating facts, that has cost the American ppl to be at war within its own races b/c the black race is CONSTANTLY playing the "racist card"!!!!!!!
#29 curosity
sweetness why do white women want black men????????????? if you really feel that way why ??????????????? GET A GRIP WAKE UP ITS ABOUT WHATS RIGHT (BLACK PEOPLE ARE FINALLY GETTING THE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT THEY DESERVE) THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#30 For 1 reason & I think you
For 1 reason & I think you know what THAT is!!!! I never said that blacks don't deserve the same media coverage as whites! I said that they don't deserve a show that will ONLY report on missing BLACK ppl!!!! I DON'T have a problem with them getting media coverage but I DO have a problem with the fact that they will NOT report on missing ppl UNLESS they are BLACK!!! Get it straight!! Why do you think black women like white men??? My black friend told me it's because they want a husband & father that will actually WORK to support them instead of living off the government when they are ABLE to work but they're just too lazy!!!!