Why do we only see certain missing persons on the news?

Question: I've been wondering why we only see certain missing persons on the news and in the media, particularly in terms of national news. For example the pregnant woman missing from Ohio and the high school student who went missing in Missouri and was found across state lines a few days later. I'm not saying that these missing persons aren't important, of course they are. My only question is who decides or how does the media decide which missing persons they're going to publicize on their news channels and which ones they aren't? I understand that they can't mention every person that goes missing every day in every state, I'm just curious as to why we hear so much about certain abductions and not so much, or nothing at all about others? This question is purely out of curiosity.

Answer: Unfortunately the first poster is correct. Just look at who gets so much airtime. Usually white, female, attractive, not 'trailer trash', usually the better off. Why? Because those are the ones who most people will sympathize with and a missing girl makes for more pathos in the story.

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