So CBS Airing 'Kid Nation' Doesn't Count?

18 Comments »

1. Did I wake up in inside out land? CBS is being honored by a children’s rights organization for basically violating the rights of… children! Did these people not see “Kid Nation”? What the hell!

   Comment by M_Adams — March 4, 2008 @ 4:53 pm

2. You thought the show was disgusting? Did you watch it? I found it inspiring. It was like summer camp, but more challenging, and the kids rose to the challenges and learned a lot about themselves. They weren’t exploited at all. I think they all gained a great deal from the experience, even those who chose to leave early. It’s a shame that negative press harmed the ratings.

   Comment by Rebop Bops — March 4, 2008 @ 6:13 pm

3. Nikki, your venom toward Kid Nation seems to be based on the rumours that swirled before the show aired, not the show itself, and it seems you still haven’t been able to shake this bias. Kid Nation turned out to be beautiful, heart-warming family programming, something absent from most prime-time slates.

   While the pre-air-date spin suggested exploitation and endangerment, I’ve spoken with one of the participants and she had nothing but enthusiasm for the show, as did the dozen or so cast-members that she still keeps in regular contact with. She felt safe, supervised, and would go back in a heartbeat if asked. Ultimately, it was an amazing learning experience for the kids involved and the families watching and discussing the show and its themes at home.

   Frankly, if Nina Tassler was responsible for greenlighting Kid Nation, then she more than deserves the award. And if the journalists who slammed the show before it ever even aired could swallow their pride and admit the show was actually great, maybe CBS could do another season, and give 40 more kids — and millions of families who may have been turned off by the unfairly bad press — the chance to be a part of such an amazing, uplifting experience.

   Comment by Max Power — March 4, 2008 @ 8:16 pm

4. I was addicted to that show in the fall and am wondering why you think it’s such a disgusting show. Did you actually watch it?

   This show was inspiring and showed how much a group of kids can accomplish when working together.

   Comment by SirFuller — March 4, 2008 @ 8:28 pm

5. I loved that show too, and so it a lot of other people. The kids had a great time and at the end, when they were reunited with their parents, it was a wonderful moment. You clearly haven’t seen the show and like usual jump to an indefensible conclusion, then defend it to your dying breath.

   Comment by Mickey — March 5, 2008 @ 12:18 am

6. Nina Tassler is the smartest, most professional executive in the TV business. She deserves every honor thrown her way.

   Comment by writer — March 5, 2008 @ 8:15 am

7. So, out of 40 or so kids, a couple of them got hurt during the 30 day production. Kids sitting at home watching TV get hurt. That’s what kids do.

   I also thought the show was incredibly inspiring. And of the 40 or so that were there, 3 of them chose to leave the show. I guess the kids themselves didn’t think conditions were so bad.

   I for one am hoping it comes back for a second season.

   Comment by JP Bazinet — March 5, 2008 @ 10:57 am

8. Kid Nation might have been filmed under kid-exploitative conditions - but the show itself was not exploitative. If the kids were harmed, it must have been under the umbrella of getting around child-labor laws (they filmed long days), no on-set teachers, and pay scale… which granted is no small problem. But having said that, the filming was hardly labor, from the looks of it. The kids all seemed to be having a good time and the end result was positively inspiring. I recommend the DVDs to anyone looking for an interesting take on what kids are capable of accomplishing when given a space of their own and a little responsibility.

   Comment by Michal — March 5, 2008 @ 11:42 am

9. Rebop… I get the sense you don’t work in show business. Do you think any hint of exploitation would be shown on the air? The kids were used for profit.

   According to published reports…

   “The production brought forty children to an abandoned New Mexico ghost town for more than a month. In order to get around the logistical and legal problems of complying with the juvenile labor requirements that govern underage performers, the production designated its activities as a “summer camp.”

   This was a misrepresentation; a lie. The kids performed on camera seven days a week, for as much as 14 hours a day.”

   Comment by David Sobolov — March 5, 2008 @ 12:22 pm

10. I know a mom of a fanastic 12 year old who was approached about having him appear on the show since he’s considered a “leader”, she couldn’t decline fast enough and has never regretted that decision.

    Comment by susan — March 5, 2008 @ 3:42 pm

11. I agree. the Show was absolutely inspiring. And I don’t know how many of you ever attended summer camp but mine were almost always like this. We cooked for ourselves, cleaned for ourselves, and loved every minute of it. I couldn’t count how many kids got hurt, but seemingly… hmm… never made national news. Boy Scouts should sue!

    This is tired news of a righteous few who want to find fresh ways to attack “Moguls” for going after those “victim” parents. This is severely one sided and not really news reporting as much as sensationalist reporting.

    Thanks!

    Comment by Blake — March 6, 2008 @ 8:51 pm

12. I’ve read a number of these comments about the show, and I realize that in general people are really gullible. There is a difference between the content of a television show and the methods that are used to produce this show. In other words, a television show can be inspiring, but the methods to produce that inspiring show can be exploitive. I watched the show: and the combination of the editing and the music really tugged at my heartstrings, but that didn’t change the fact that kids were separated from their parents for a month and taken to the desert without child welfare supervisors. We know some of those kids were injured: one drank poison, one was scalded with boiling water, one had her thumb broken. We don’t know how many more because the parents signed gag orders. Knowing all of this, the show was very inspirational, but the production was far less than inspirational.

    There is also a difference between an organization that calls itself The Alliance for Children’s Rights and the Child Labor Study of Human Rights Watch. One is a Los Angeles based organization largely financed by donations from media companies and entertainment law firms, and the other is an international organization that investigates the abuses of human rights around the world. CBS, her employer, sponsors the dinner at which Nina Tassler is being honored. In other words, CBS bought the little trophy, or plaque, or medal that she will be given as well as the prime rib that will be served. If you can afford to sponsor a $5000 table, I’m sure listening to her acceptance speech will be inspirational, but the production that goes on behind it is far less inspirational.

    Comment by Paul — March 7, 2008 @ 7:40 am

13. Do we know that there were no child welfare supervisors in the town? I guess that falls into the gullible side of things, to think that CBS dumped off the kids in a remote location without any adults available.

    Remember in Survivor when someone got hurt? It took about 4 minutes to get a helicopter to the location to get the person the care they needed. Should we assume anything less here?

    The kids weren’t separated from their parents. They chose (with their parents help I might add) to go to summer camp.

    Kids are injured all the time at camp. That’s part of being a kid. This would be a different story if a kid was stabbed and left for dead or crushed, but they weren’t. They were looked after. It shouldn’t be assumed that the town wasn’t created with safety in mind.

    *yawn*

    Comment by Josh — March 7, 2008 @ 10:24 am

14. Josh,

    We know there weren’t welfare supervisors because they chose to do it outside the circle in a state where they aren’t required. Why would a company hire someone they weren’t required to hire? That would be stupid, like ending a missive with “yawn”.

    I still stand by my argument that there the same material can be inspirational to watch and be exploitive in the way it way produced. If you want to refute that argument, go ahead. If you have nothing new to add, don’t start attacking me rather than my argument. Just admit that you have nothing new to add.

    Comment by Paul — March 7, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

15. Josh,

    Something just occurred to me.

    You wrote; “The kids weren’t separated from their parents.” In fact, they were separated from their parents.

    You also wrote; “They chose (with their parents help I might add) to go to summer camp.” “Summer Camp” is the same classification the producers used to get around New Mexico’s lax child labor laws. It is so strange that you used the exact same description.

    Do you work either directly or indirectly for CBS, Josh?

    Comment by Paul — March 7, 2008 @ 12:56 pm

16. So because they chose to do it in a state that did not require it MEANS that they did not have an appropriate level of supervision? Are you going to argue that the reason there were so FEW incidents is due to the fact that these are “good kids”? They were monitored!

    I don’t work for CBS directly or indirectly. It’s funny that because I don’t support your arguments, I would obviously need to be part of studio. GO CBS!

    Summer camp is what this was for these kids. Have you ever been to one? I grew up in Boy Scouts so I’ve been to many. I’d like to think if you had, you’d have a clearer picture of this.

    So to recap, minor injuries, monitored children, parents who signed their kids to summer camp, a studio that took advantage of it, camp on tv…. who could be this lucky? I know… the kids who had a blast out there.

    *yawn*

    Comment by Josh — March 7, 2008 @ 2:42 pm

17. Josh,

    I am an Eagle Scout actually. I would go to Philmont ranch every summer. And something odd about that, they didn’t videotape me 24/7 at Philmont scout ranch. That is because the BSA doesn’t exploit its members. Now if they did, that would be exploitive. Like what CBS has done.

    You still need to refute my original argument. I’m still waiting. My guess is I will wait forever, because you are not capable: possibly not trustworthy, loyal, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, or reverent.

    Summer camp is summer camp. Television shows are television shows. Adults are adults, and children are children. If you employ children on a television show, you need to follow the laws. It is irrelevant whether or not anyone gets hurt because the laws are in place for the children’s welfare. The laws are in place to keep people from exploiting children.

    http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/twilight_zone/2.html

    Your red herring argument about Survivor is irrelevant because Survivor is a television show cast with adults.

    You said the children weren’t separated from their parents, but they were.

    I am waiting for you to write something honest or well thought out, but I think I’m going to give up on that.

    Prove you are smart to me, and I might respond.

    Comment by Paul — March 7, 2008 @ 6:37 pm

18. Survivor is not a red herring as its ALSO a show where people are “left alone to do as they will.” Much like Survivor, Kid Nation also had the necessary safety precautions. Wait, you’re probably right, that nasty studio dumped a bunch of kids out in the wild. Shame on them.

    And it surprises me that an Eagle Scout would honestly argue that this was very little more than summer camp. I guess people see what they want. Oh well.

    I was unaware they were shipping children to parts unknown to cause harm and/or malice. Funny stuff that is… as I’m sure that’s NOT what they did.

    If I’m not mistaken, CBS actually *DID* follow the laws. Imagine that. Those crazy studios!

    Children were “separated” from their parents in no different way than you were “separated” from yours when you went to camp. They left for summer camp.

    The problem here is that someone’s looking for a conspiracy to stuff that’s just frankly not there. There’s no need to prove how smart I am to someone who can’t prove the methods used for production.

    Again, you’re probably right, they probably only kept the kids alive just so they wouldn’t have huge lawsuits on their hands. Their enjoyment of the time they spent there… all forced and manipulated to “get the shot.” Thanks for the enlightenment.

    Oh, and lastly, I will agree… Summer camp is summer camp, tv shows are tv shows, adults are adults, kids are kids, phones are phones, computers are computers, offices are offices… just because one speaks, doesn’t mean he has much to add.

    Thanks for your insightful link of those evil people taking advantage of those poor kids.

    And don’t sweat about responding. I think I’m better without it.

    Have a good night everyone! Drive safe and watch out for those scary people out there!

    Comment by Josh — March 7, 2008 @ 7:44 pm

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