Kid Nation: Reality TV gone wrong?

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Posted to Legal on Sat Aug 25, 2007 at 07:40:54 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

On September 19, 2007, CBS will air its latest reality TV show in a time slot that once held that of the post-nuclear war dystopia, Jericho. "Kid Nation" is a bit more controversial than other reality shows of the past because it involves young children and alleged unsafe conditions.

The show is set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, south of Santa Fe, NM. It is a working cattle ranch spread across thousands of empty desert acres and grazing land, but also has a ghost town setup which has seen the likes of "Silverado" and "Legend of the Lone Ranger" shot there. Kid Nation features 40 children from across the country (ages 8-15) who live in the old ghost town without adult supervision for 40 days and are responsible for all governmental and business functions and tasks needed to keep the town going. While there are no eliminations, each episode brings the chance for the children to vote one lucky towns person a "Gold Star" worth $20,000 in cash. Because nobody can be kicked off the show conflict is introduced by forcing the children and their government to choose between necessities and luxury items on a regular basis, as well as assigning the children widely disparate wages and salaries.

The whole concept is controversial. Even the producer compared the show to the classic "Lord of the Flies" although in this case several staff members were present at the ghost town to do filming, but did not interact with the children except as needed to record the events.

Critics pointed to payments to participant's parents of a $5,000 stipend for their child's involvement in the show. A leaked copy of a blanket waiver approved by the parents was also obtained by The Smoking Gun.com which appears sign almost all of the child's rights away, including: no contact with the children unless through producers, the right to sue if the child died was waived, was harmed, or contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Medical care could be provided to the children by personnel who the studio made no guarantee about their "qualifications or credentials." There was a waiver of all privacy rights for the child, unless they were actually "in the process of showering, bathing, urinating, or defecating." In addition, children were subject to search of their persons and possessions by any means, including x-rays. This was all topped off by a confidentiality clause demanding absolute secrecy under penalty of a $5M fine.

There were also issues of child labor law violations, and show staff admit that due to legal disputes with the State of New Mexico, whose inspectors were allegedly denied access to the set and children 3 times, a venue where the next show may be held legally will be tough to find.

CBS and producers respond by saying "These kids were in good hands and under good care with procedures and safety structures that arguably rival or surpass any school or camp in the country." CBS also says child labor laws do not apply because the children are not 'working' as "The cameras are following people through an experience but those people are not working in the same way that one normally thinks of working a job." In addition, laws normally preventing the children from 'working' as many as 14 hours a day did not apply because of NM exemptions on minors participating in theatrical activities. They point to possible benefits the show can give participants, such as according to a communications professor, "When a parent sends a child into this situation, there's a good chance that it could help the child build self-confidence, build social skills and build a network."The LA Times interviewed four children who participated in the show, and all four stated that they would do it again if given the chance.

Whatever happened in Season One, it obviously has not dissuaded CBS from trying again. If you are not freaked out by the above, CBS has begun casting for Kid Nation 2, and if your child is between 8 and 15 you can sign them up.