NABJ Honors TV One’s “Find Our Missing” with Annual Best Practices Award

WASHINGTON, DC (May 23, 2012) –The Board of Directors of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has selected TV One’s groundbreaking original series,"Find Our Missing,” with its annual Best Practices Award. TV One will join other top honorees in New Orleans during NABJ's 37th Annual Convention and Career Fair, the largest annual gathering of minority journalists in the country.

The Best Practices Award is given to a news organization for exemplary work in covering issues of great significance to the black community or the African Diaspora. "Finding Our Missing” fits the bill.

Hosted by S. Epatha Merkerson, the show is an hour-long, docu-drama series that puts names and faces to people of color -- young and old -- who have disappeared without a trace. Each riveting episode features a dramatic and emotional tale that places the viewer within the lives of the missing person, along with reflecting the pain of their loved ones, while confronting dead ends at every turn.

From the moment of their disappearance, the story back tracks to learn about the missing person from the people who knew them best – who they were, what made them tick and how they touched those around them. With each break’s cliffhanger and each new twist unearthed, viewers will be more than just engrossed in the story being told; they will want to help solve the case.

"This series counters the media's tendency to not focus on missing people of color. Local outlets in these cases usually make a good effort to publicize these stories, but the cases rarely rise to the level of national media attention. `Find Our Missing’ allows us do something about that,” said NABJ President Greg Lee, Jr. "TV One deserves this recognition for making sure these stories get told.”

Though blacks comprise only 14 percent of the total U.S. population, they account for nearly 40 percent of all reported missing persons cases.

TV One has entered into a partnership with the Black and Missing Foundation, as well as created a micro-site on its website (www.tvoneonline.com) where visitors can obtain numbers for the law enforcement agencies related to the cases, see status updates on current missing persons cases, test memory and observation skills, and get tips on how to better protect loved ones.

At the end of each episode Merkerson signs off by saying, "Be safe and keep an eye out,” a reminder to be aware, be responsible, and be involved in being part of the solution.

NABJ salutes TV One for this bold series and for venturing to tell the stories that would otherwise go untold.

NABJ's 37th Annual Convention and Career Fair will take place June 20-24 in New Orleans. Other top honorees include Journalist of the Year, Pierre Thomas of ABC News, NABJ founder and past president DeWayne Wickham of Gannett with the organizations Lifetime Achievement Award, WSB-TV’s (Atlanta), Monica Pearson for the annual Legacy Award, LA Times’ Gerrick Kennedy for the Emerging Journalist of the Year Award, and CNN’s Janet Rolle for the Pat Tobin Media Professional Award.

For additional information, registration, and ticket sales, please visit, www.nabj.org.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

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