Kid Nation reality show is child endangerment for entertainment  
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

The Washington Post has called CBS' reality tv series Kid Nation an "appalling monstrosity."  USA Today says "all hype, no entertainment."  ConnieTalk says:  "have you signed the petition yet?"

CBS's "Kid Nation" put 40 children between the ages of 8 to 15 in an abandoned New Mexico desert town alone, with no parental supervision, forced to fend for themselves.  Four of the children were injured after drinking bleach that was left in an unmarked soda bottle; one was burned by hot grease when trying to cook.  And the parents of the forty kids participating in the show all signed blanket liability waivers that stated they cannot sue CBS if their child is severely injured, contracts a Sexually Transmitted Disease, or dies during the filming of "Kid Nation."

The waivers also consent to the network making their own medical treatment decisions on behalf of the minors, including surgery, and make no promise as to "the qualifications or credentials" of the medical personnel on staff.  They sign away even their privacy, unless they are "in the process of showering, bathing, urinating, or defecating."  Regardless of whether or not CBS or whomever says that adults were close enough and nothing more than pulled muscles and being homesick will happen to them - the truth of the danger is in the waivers.

Each child was paid only $5,000 for appearing on the show, save for a few of them that earned $20,000 bonuses for challenges presented during the 13 episodes.  You can read the actual release that these parents signed at The Smoking Gun.  The New Mexico Department of Labor has said the children worked up to 14 hours per day and were taken advantage of, because statutes protect theatrical and film productions from child labor restrictions.  Twelve of the forty children are ages 10 or younger.

CBS is now casting for Kid Nation 2, and there's no telling what neglect and injury those children could suffer, all because there are parents out there willing to turn their children's lives over to make a buck.

Every one of us has a choice.  We can choose to do nothing.  We can choose to watch it, therefore contributing to the ratings and giving the media the message that we are okay with child endangerment for entertainment.  Or, we can choose to boycott it.  The network completely sickens us at this point.  With this show, and the recent developments with Dan Rather's termination, we have stopped watching CBS altogether.  If you have something interesting for us - we'll see you on YouTube, CBS.

   

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