CBS Stands Steadfastly behind Controversial ‘Kid Nation’

The idea behind CBS’s reality series Kid Nation has been compared to the scary “community” formed by children in the book The Lord of the Flies, but CBS has shown no sign of backing away from its plans to air the show.

“Everybody’s questions about the show will be answered when it airs,” said the show’s executive producer, Tom Forman (via The New York Times).

The show sees 40 children between the ages of 8 and 15 sent off to build a society without adults in a ghost town in New Mexico. CBS is already making plans to produce a second season of the series and has fielded inquiries from several international television companies about buying the format rights to the series.

Complaints about the show have come from a parent of one of the children who claimed her child was injured in the show and who complained about working conditions. Finding a state to host the possible second season could be tricky, because of child labor laws. And, for the same reason, going back to New Mexico will likely be impossible. New Mexico authorities are looking into whether CBS broke any laws during filming in that state, writes The Chicago Tribune. Producers are considering going outside the country if necessary.
CBS may be planning to limit the number of commercials in the opening episode, in the hopes of unsulating itself from too many advertisers pulling out of the show. Episodes were planned to be 90 minutes in length when the show was planned as a summer series, and may still be longer than an hour. Forman says the commercial load “will be lighter.”
Shari Anne Brill, senior vp at Carat USA, has said that she has had many advertisers ask if it’s okay to be in the show. “The biggest issue simply is that there are children involved.”

The contract (via TheSmokingGun.com) parents had to sign in order for their children to participate (and receive their $5,000 stipend) included language to the effect that the show was “inherently dangerous” and could expose their children to “uncontrolled hazards and conditions that may cause serious bodily injury, illness or death.” The parents had to relinquish legal claims in the event that anything did happen to their children, and they could be liable for a $5 million penalty if they broke the terms of the contract.

The Tribune points out that the wording of the contract flies in the face of CBS’s attempts to bill the show as a happy, summer-camp type experience. The Kid Nation website voiceover goes, “Imagine a world with no adults [sound of kids cheering)]. Just 40 kids with a chance to build their own society….”

Similarly styled reality show Survivor hit snags from controversy last season when it decided to divide its teams along racial lines. Several advertisers pulled out prior to the beginning of the season, but by the time the show aired, little was heard about the controversy and no additional fuss was made.