Justice Network Finds First Missing Child

Justice Network, the diginet that counts former America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh among its partners, is responsible for finding its first missing child since the over-the-air network debuted on Gannett Broadcasting stations on Jan. 20.

Earlier this month, a viewer called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a girl featured on the network. That girl, who disappeared in 2013, was later safely found and returned to her family.

“When we set out to launch the Justice Network, we wanted to launch a for-profit network that has a meaningful impact on the local communities we serve,” says Steve Schiffman, Justice Network CEO. “To do that, we partnered with crime fighting organizations so they can use our reach, which we have been able to build up quickly, to make a difference. But we never imagined that in 90 days we’d identify and locate a missing child and return her to her family.”

Justice Network is now distributed in 40% of U.S. TV homes, including in all Gannett markets.

Each hour, Justice airs 90 seconds of original content with Walsh asking viewers to call authorities if they have seen missing kids or criminals featured on the network.

“Someone watching the Justice Network recognized this child and did the right thing,” Walsh said in a statement. “The public’s involvement is crucial and really does help save lives.”

“The content is resonating and people are getting up and taking action,” says Barry Wallach, the former NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution executive who is Justice Network’s head of distribution. “That’s a testament to Walsh who brings the network a lot of credibility. But it’s also a testament to the fact that people are watching digital networks.”