Walter Neary, Public Relations Director, Comcast
Every year an estimated 800,000 children are reported as missing in the United States. Comcast is announcing today that it has launched Missing Kids On Demand and online, a first-of-its-kind public service initiative that will make information about missing children available to millions of Comcast video customers and consumers across the United States. The new initiative is in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and will enable Comcast customers and consumers to support efforts by law enforcement across the country to help bring missing children home.
The On Demand path begins with the On Demand folder, and then Get Local, then Around the Sound, then Missing Kids.
“The best way to help find a missing child is to get the message out as broadly as possible,” said Ernie Allen, president and CEO of National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “Our partnership with Comcast enables us to reach millions of homes across the country we may not otherwise reach and empowers viewers with the resources they need to help solve cases.”
“Our On Demand and online platforms have a strong track record of helping raise awareness for important issues,” said Diana Kerekes, vice president Entertainment Services, Comcast. “We’ve seen real success with other public service initiatives available on our platforms such as Police Blotter, Stand Up To Cancer and the Pink Ribbon Campaign, and we hope this partnership can help drive awareness of missing children and the efforts of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and law enforcement.”
Comcast’s Missing Kids On Demand and online, produced in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, features 20 video profiles chronicling missing child cases from across the nation. Each video provides relevant details about the child’s case, including the name of the missing child, city of the disappearance, possible whereabouts, likely abductors and photos. In cases where the child has been missing for a long period, an age progressed photo showing what he/she may look like at a more recent age will also be available. In addition, during the airing of each profile, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s toll-free 24-hour national missing children’s hotline (800-THE-LOST) will be displayed on the bottom of the profile, so viewers can report tips should they have any information. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website will also be available for viewers to report tips online at www.missingkids.com.
This public service initiative is modeled after Comcast’s Police Blotter On Demand, which shows profiles of local “Most Wanted” criminals and is created in partnership with local law enforcement authorities. Since its launch in November 2006, Police Blotter On Demand has profiled more than 1,400 fugitives and has led to more than 90 criminal captures. Police Blotter On Demand is part of Comcast’s “Get Local” programming On Demand, which includes local news, high school sports, film and music festivals and other community-based programs.