Here's another one of those MSNBC in-house longform productions that I discussed with the network's VP of longform, Michael Rubin, a few weeks back. It's a sort of "12-Up" that updates the lives of three kids whose births NBC documented -- along with their fathers' promises to guide their upbringing -- a dozen years ago. Afterwards, a panel including "Today" show mainstay Al Roker and "Rachel Maddow Show" favorite Cory Booker discuss the role of men in the lives of African-American kids.
MSNBC PREMIERES "A FATHER'S PROMISE" SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 AT 8 PM ET
HOSTED BY NBC'S AL ROKER AND INCLUDES ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION FEATURING NBC'S TIKI BARBER, NEWARK MAYOR CORY BOOKER AND REV. EUGENE RIVERS
New York- January 26, 2009-Today, more American boys and girls than ever are growing up without a father. It is a cultural issue that has emerged at the forefront of American politics. Even President Obama made it a highly charged national issue in his campaign. Standing before one of Chicago's largest black church congregations last Father's Day, Obama questioned whether absent fathers bore responsibility for some of the problems afflicting African Americans today.
"A Father's Promise" is an attempt to understand this unsettling crisis. Coinciding with Black History Month, MSNBC will premiere "A Father's Promise" Sunday February 8th at 8 pm ET. Reported by Al Roker, this thought-provoking documentary examines why so many fathers fall out of their children's lives, particularly in the inner city.
Twelve years ago, NBC News produced an award-winning documentary that began with the delivery of several babies all born the same week at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersery - one of the nation's poorest cities and a place where the rate of absentee fathers was especially high. That week, Marquis, Tianna, and Heru's fathers all made solemn promises to be there for their children. Now, more than a decade later, MSNBC catches up with these children to find out what happened to them and to see if their fathers honored their pledges. What they find is both heartbreaking and revealing. Did Marquise's father begin a relationship with his son? Did Tianna's father stick around for her every milestone? Would Heru's father fight his depression and be there for his son?
Also in "A Father's Promise," a cross-section of African-Americans, including NBC's Al Roker and Tiki Barber, come together for a round-table discussion of the situations and issues presented in the documentary. The other round-table participants are Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey; Rev. Eugene Rivers, a Boston pastor and MSNBC analyst; Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Princeton university professor of politics and African American studies; and Marni McKoy, Heru's Principal at Link Community School in Newark.
Michael Rubin is vice president, long-form programming, MSNBC and executive producer, "A Father's Promise." Scott Hooker is senior executive producer, documentary production and development, MSNBC. Geraldine Moriba-Meadows and Elise Warner are senior producers, "A Father's Promise." John Block and Cameo George are producers, "A Father's Promise."
Built on the worldwide resources of NBC News, MSNBC defines news for the next generation with world-class reporting and a full schedule of live news coverage, political analysis and award-winning documentary programming -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MSNBC's home on the Internet is msnbc.com. Msnbc.com delivers a fuller spectrum of news. Drawing on its award-winning original journalism, NBC News heritage, trusted sources and Microsoft's advanced technologies, the site presents compelling, diverse and visually-engaging stories on the consumer's platform of choice. Nielsen Online reports more than 40 million unique visitors for October 2008, making msnbc.com the number one news site, ahead of CNN, Yahoo! News, ABC, CBS, and Fox News.
I am a counselor who works among poor whites. This issue is not unique to blacks,its unique to the poor and uneducated. To continually present it as a black issue predominantly is a subtle way of continued stereotyping.
When is someone going to do a documentary on meth addicts who are killing themselves by the thousands in America's nearly all white rural communities. What happens to those children? I'll tell you. Most are still in diapers at age 4 and are often victims of personal dangers from burns in home meth factories.
Black churches and organizations are making significant strides with this issue among their constituents. These "reports" are just so much fodder for extremist and bigots.
Al Roker is a joke and Tiki Barber is an alien. I don't know about the others.
Well...This post will never see the light of day.
Posted by: Carol | February 06, 2009 at 06:52 AM
I totally agree with Carol. To present the problem as one unique to blacks only does a disservice to everyone.
Do a special encompassing everyone who does it, and play the thing on father's day. Don't play a special on the lack of *black fathers* on black history month. Awful.
Posted by: J. Williams | February 06, 2009 at 06:52 PM
I believe its 2 sides to the story. Some mothers don't want the sas around or don't want to give up custody to the dad and uses child support and the kids against the dad.
Posted by: Steve | February 06, 2009 at 07:41 PM
Locating absentee fathers in the USA is a billion dollar industry.
Lobbyists for fathers who were trapped into realationships and treated unfairly are a big industry.
60% of men in America admit to affairs. Divorce and legalize prostituion is extremely high.
To focus on black men is stereotyping and wrong. I hope I see no more of these shows, and to the producers, No thank you, MSNBC.
Posted by: gg.w | February 06, 2009 at 08:23 PM
I don't believe it's completely wrong for this documentary to be on. That being said, I agree that it should not JUST look at African American families and the significant absence of fathers. On the other hand, I understand the producer's reasons as to why this is being presented only to show those families: statistics show that black fathers are more likely than any other group to leave their children behind. I wish this issue would be highlighted more often. Even if it is only African American families being represented in tonight's documentary, at least the issue is being brought to some sort of attention.
Posted by: Sarah | February 08, 2009 at 06:56 PM
Mr. Roker, your story a fathers promise is only a part of who we are. There are many black fathers who are a part of their childrens life or want to be a part of their childrens lives. If you are going to do a story during black history month on the lack of a black fathers involvement, please do a story on the fathers who want to be there and can not.Either because of the mother,the courts or a lack of resourses to pursue a relationship through the courts.
There are many many fathers who are doing an outstanding job in an enviroment filled with adversity as it relates to them having a relationship wuth their children.
Pleased be balanced in your reporting and ask why in disputed custody cases the mother gets primary custody 92 % of the time. Ask why in several studies conducted by the U.S department of education Africian American children who live in single parent households headed by the father achieve higher academically than two parent house holds of any race, why they are less likely to fail a grade, have the lowest rate of teen-age pregancy and incarceration. Yet mothers in disputed cases receive primary custody 92% of the time.
Mr. Roker there are two sides to this story there are many fathers who want to spend time with their children and when given the opportunity they have a wonderful relationships with their children.
Please, use your considerable resoures to tell about single fathers who are in their chidrens school two or three times a week, taking their kids to birthday parties, participating in class room activites , going to doctors appointment, these are wonderful things that many fathers are doing everyday. Fathers are accomplishing these things everday in the face a hostile court, combative mothers and sociatial perceptions that you empowered on your MSNBC special a fathers promise.
My daughter had surgery in 2008. I asked the mother if I could see her after the surgery because it was not scheduled during my custodial time. The mother said no I asked the courts to hear my motion to temporarily modify the order so that I could see my daughter after surgery. The courts would not hear my request. The next time I saw my daughter she wanted to know if Ioved her, because I did not see her while she was sick. There was a daddy daughter dance this past weekend and it was not my custodial time. I asked the mother if she could make an exception so that I could take my daughter to this annual evnet. She said no.
Mr. Roker there are millions of men who have these stories. From one father to another please tell these stories.
I look forward to hearing form you
Vada Whitaker 919-280-4892
Vadawhitaker@netzero.com
Posted by: Vada Whitaker | February 08, 2009 at 08:22 PM