WDIV Detroit Launches True-Crime Podcast ‘Shattered: Black Friday’

WDIV Detroit has launched the true-crime podcast Shattered: Black Friday. The ten-part series investigates the 2010 disappearance of three brothers in Morenci, Mich. The father of Alexander, Andrew and Tanner Skelton said he gave the brothers, who were ages 9, 7 and 5, to an underground organization. The father is in jail. Seven years later, the boys’ whereabouts is not known.

Shattered: Black Friday is produced and hosted by Jeremy Allen and executive produced by Ro Coppola. The title refers to the day after Thanksgiving, when the boys went missing.

The first two episodes will be released Sunday, Feb. 4, with new episodes released every Friday.

“We asked ourselves what stories have we covered in-depth that still haunt us,” said WDIV News Director Kim Voet. “The Skelton brothers’ disappearance was at the top of everyone’s list. It was heartbreaking then. It’s heartbreaking now.”

The podcast will have a companion broadcast and digital program called Black Friday: Missing Skelton Brothers that will be broadcast on WDIV and streamed live on ClickOnDetroit.com Monday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. The documentary-style program will feature in-depth reports by anchor/reporter Sandra Ali and highlight Allen’s reporting from the podcast.

“This case is still open and there are so many unanswered questions,” says Allen. “As a father I really connect to the story. We hope that through this podcast, someone who might know something will help lead the police to the truth.”

WDIV is part of Graham Media Group. In December, the group launched its first podcast, called Mismatch and hosted by Roger Weber.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.