Critics call it trash TV, but the producers of Fox Broadcasting`s
”America`s Most Wanted” and NBC`s ”Unsolved Mysteries” have nothing but pride in their video versions of the FBI ”Most Wanted” posters-particularly now that they`re reaping the glory.
Police in Westfield, N.J., recently credited a report on ”America`s Most Wanted” for helping them capture fugitive John List, who had eluded the law for 17 years while being hunted in the shooting deaths of his mother, wife and three children.
The report on May 21 generated 300 tips, one of which provided List`s current street address in Richmond.
List, who had been living under an alias, was one of the biggest captures for the program since it began last February on Fox-owned TV stations, moving later to the Fox network, where it is broadcast at 8 p.m. Sundays and seen by 22 million viewers.
Of 154 fugitives profiled in dramatic re-enactments, 79 are now in custody, 48 ”a direct result of viewer tips,” said executive producer Michael Linder. Those apprehended include 5 from the FBI`s 10 most-wanted list and 5 of the U.S. federal marshals` 15 most-wanted.
”Unsolved Mysteries,” which also centers on missing persons, lost heirs and scientific phenomena, has solved 26 crimes and captured 22 fugitives-a 30 percent success rate, said Stuart Schwartz, coordinating producer. The show, whose host is Robert Stack, regularly beats the competition in its time slot at 8 p.m. Wednesdays.
When the shows debuted, critics assailed them for their vivid re-enactments of violent acts, exploitation of victims and their potential for inspiring viewers to vigilantism. ”The show was a bold experiment from Day One,” Linder said. ”It took a little time and development to learn how to portray a violent crime without offending.”
”I don`t think we`re exploitive at all,” Schwartz said. Police and victims` families ”are so grateful that these cases have been resolved. Not only are they happy with the way we treat a story, but they`re happy shows like ours will do something for them.”
Indeed, the police have embraced the shows; both have close relationships with the FBI and the federal marshals. ”A law-enforcement officer who brings us his case has pretty good odds of solving it,” Linder said. ”That`s an attractive offer. We haven`t had an unsatisfied customer.”
Rex Tomb, the ”Unsolved Mysteries” liaison in the FBI`s Special Productions Office, said the FBI views the shows ”highly enough certainly to give them as much cooperation as we are able.” To make sure the publicity won`t hurt, the FBI is ”pretty circumspect before we cooperate,” he said, noting that fugitive publicity is nevertheless ”always very valuable when you have nothing else to go on.”
James Moran, the now-retired Westfield police chief who unsuccessfully tracked List for 17 years, said there was ”absolutely” no way to solve that case without such a broadcast. ”I wanted this guy grabbed, and there was no way I could grab him,” he said. ”If they can solve it, I get a vicarious kick out of it.”
John Walsh, the father of Adam, whose abduction and murder helped focus attention on missing children, hosts the Fox show. His initial concerns about the way victim`s families would be treated proved unfounded.
He calls the program ”a tremendous tool. It gets the public involved without resorting to vigilantism. There are no rewards, no incentive. I believe that people can make a difference. And that`s been proven far beyond my wildest dreams.”
Both programs get suggestions for cases from police agencies, ”an average 30 proposals a week,” Linder said.
In return, ”Unsolved Mysteries” generates about 30,000 weekly phone tips from viewers, of which only about 3,000 can be handled by the 25 operators. ”America`s Most Wanted” receives up to 5,000 calls weekly on its toll-free lines, averaging 300 viable leads.
The best cases are those with clear photos, home movies or videotapes of the fugitive, Linder said. Artists` composite drawings produce too many false leads.
He said most fugitives see their own TV profiles, and some flee. ”But with 22 million viewers nationwide, there are very few places to hide.”
The success of the two programs has inspired a host of competitors, most of which begin running this fall. Viewers may run out of interest, but it`s unlikely the programs will run out of fugitives.
”We`ve created a public utility I hope will be around for decades,”
Linder said. ”And with 180,000 fugitives at large today, there`s no lack of subject matter.”
