June 29, 2009 - Fighting back tears, Janet Jackson has paid tribute to her dead brother at an awards show honouring black performers.

'To you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family, and he will forever live in all of our hearts,' she told the audience at the Black Entertainment Television Awards in Los Angeles.

'On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love. Thank you for all of your support, we miss him so much.'

Her father Joe Jackson also attended, prompting reporters to shout out questions as he walked up the red carpet.

When asked how he was coping, he replied: 'I am okay, thank you, The celebration of my son brought me out tonight.

'It's fantastic, I just wish he had could have been here to see all this.'

But he seemed to have invoked the ire of some Michael Jackson fans by appearing to promote a new business venture in an interview on CNN.

'Marshall and I have - we own a record company. Talking about Blu-ray technology. That's the next step,' Jackson said.

The blogosphere was instantly buzzing with outrage.

Warren Ballentine, a radio show host, said that he was flooded with angry messages over Jackson's comments.

'Joe Jackson and his lack of sensitivity and respect disgusts me,' one contributor wrote on the Jezebel website.

The family also used the event to issue a press release making it clear that Michael's parents intended to manage his affairs and arrange custody of his children.

During the awards, a number of celebrities paid tribute to the influence of Michael Jackson, including Beyonce, Jay Z and Lil Wayne.

The host Jamie Foxx urged people not to be sad, but to celebrate his achievements.