Easily one of the most controversial TV programs premiering this fall is the CBS "reality" series Kid Nation, in which a large group of youngsters, ages 8 to 15, spend 40 days in a New Mexico ghost town with nary an adult to tell them what to do. After reading a New York Times article that described conditions as unsafe (several youngsters required medical attention after drinking bleach left in an unmarked bottle) and perhaps in violation of state and federal child welfare laws — charges that CBS strenuously denies — Michael Slezak wrote a PW item in which he questioned the sanity judgment of those parents who allowed their kids to participate in this ratings-chasing televised stunt.
In case you were wondering exactly what kind of contract these parents signed, the FOIA-wielding rascals at The Smoking Gun used an open records request to procure a copy of the 22-page document. It makes for some frightening and fascinating reading.
Parents, we learn, signed away their right to sue the producers for letting their children take part in a program set in "inherently dangerous travel areas that may expose the Minor and other participants to a variety of unmarked and uncontrollable hazards and conditions that may cause the Minor serious bodily injury, illness or death, including, without limitation: general exposure to extremes of heat and cold; water hazards; floods; drowning…" the list goes on and also takes into account "encounters with wild or domesticated animals" (page 3)
The youthful contestants will certainly take away some important lessons about the value of discretion — especially when their parents explain to them that anyone divulging any information about the show in violation of the Participant Agreement "shall pay to CBS as liquidated damages, and not as a penalty, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000)" (page 14)
There’s plenty more here, including who ultimately owns any photos and notes taken during the production (take a wild guess) and what specific bathroom activities could not be filmed.
Yes, this liability waiver is pretty much the same kind of boilerplate agreement you’d have to sign on any reality show on any network. But it’s kinda creepy when an 8-year-old is involved. Check it out — and share your thoughts.
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I saw on the news last night that one of the ‘conditions’ was pregnancy. Wow, it sounds like CBS would like another reality show with that one. I wonder what the title would be. “Babies having Babies?”
Yet another moronic reality show I will NOT be watching. Seriously, what are these tv execs THINKING?
I cannot believe parents would sign their kids up for this crap. “What? You mean my child could have a severe injury or even bite the big one while doing the show, but they’ll earn a cool $5K for participating and I can start them on their camera-whoring career? Sign us up!”
I think the waiver for “death” was a way to ensure that CBS could air a “very special episode” without any pesky parents or mourners getting in their way.
I have to say that I am amazed that any parent would let their child or teen participate in this show which could also be called a controlled experiment. However, they did and all the possible hazards were listed upfront – so if something did happen than they only have themselves to blame. Some harebrained producer came up with idea but people actually signed up for it! I imagine though that there were plenty of medical professionals on staff (like survivor) or at least I hope so. That being said, the kids in the promo seem so sincere and serious about the project. Perhaps, in the end that is how we should judge the show.
Color me…whatever…but I’m not as up-in-arms about this whole thing as many seem to be. First of all, there is obviously an adult camera crew (or minimum of one) around for the whole shoot. To me, it kind of seems like camp, minus much of the structure.
Okay, yes, the main issue for me–and I don’t take it lightly–is that these are minors and it’s hard to know the psychological implications of such an “expiriment”. But let’s be real: surely, more irresponsible, demeaning and dangerous things have been done to people in the name of science and/or entertainment. No, that doesn’t make it okay necessarily, but clearly, medical services were available after the bleach drinking, so how dangerous was it REALLY? And finally, do you honestly think that CBS was going to let any of those kids die or come to serious bodily harm without doing everything possible to stop it? Yeah, right; like they would chance that kind of bad publicity!
I dunno, you tell me: am I missing something?
yea parent must be dumb to let there 8-15 year old kid on show and oh yea if it dies or gets hurt or gets a sexually transmitted disase they cant do anything thats crazy, its most likely the same sheet an adult signs before doing big brother and survivor but because the persons 8 its kinda weird..
This “leak” of the contract is the best thing that could have happened to CBS. The publicity is incredible, and I’m guessing the number of people watching the season premier will be too.
Perhaps I’m the only person who watched The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, but I remember one of his set-ups was a for a reality show exactly like this. I am surprised no one has ever mentioned it. They set up the show under the worst conditions possible, asked the parents who wanted to be a part of it and most of them signed up. It seemed so ridiculous to think parents would ever be willing to allow their children to participate in such an outrageous program just so they could get their kids some TV exposure, but here we are…
It’s one thing to sign yourself up for a dose of Reality Insanity. (I may copywrie that phrase) But to subject your 8-15 year old child is just wrong. BTW, I’m sure CBS would respectfully save the special pregant or death episode until sweeps.
A playgroup acquaintance used her 5 year old as a model. The kid was part of a national ad campaign. Not understanding the “anything for fame” mentality, I asked her why she did it. The woman said her child had been begging her “forever” to get into modeling. This is the weird reason I frequently hear stage-parents give to excuse their lack of judgment involving their kids in this kind of insanity. Since when does it make sense to have small children make life-altering family decisions? Even the most ambitious kid doesn’t want that kind of responsibility, much less is able to foresee the consequences.
Heh, my favorite part is that CBS has rights to the images of the participants “in perpituity, THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE. Because we all know that Ursa Minor really wants to distribute imagery of these kids.
As an attorney, I am not sure that a parent can legally sign away the rights of a minor and have it binding. I know that in my state that would not be enforcable.
Am I the only one that thinks this is a great experience and a wonderful learning experoence with the kids. I know that I would have loved and benefited from doing this as a child. And was quite capable of going throught the experience without it being traumatic. I have been looking forward to this show all summer,
This agreement alone should be grounds to be emancipated (sp?) from your parents.
Ellipsian
It don’t like the idea of this show beacuse it is reality TV and more intersted in the bottom line not whether the kids . In general, I dislike reality TV but when they start exploiting children I “get up in arms”. We live in a society that teaches children that popularity (despite the costs) is great. Then we wonder why teens can’t fight peer pressure. Reality TV feeds this “popularity obession”.
as a parent i find it incredible and slightly hilarious that these parents are upset now. most responsible parents wouldn’t send their children to the neighbor’s house for a sleepover without checking the place out. not these folks, if the tv exec said its okay it must be.
Can we sue these parents or at least smack them with parenting books?
The idea of the show is interesting in theory but in practice it’s insanity.
I agree with Kelsey.
I know that to many, the idea of a child-dominated experiment, where we can all watch with wonder as they navigate the ups and downs of adult life with more aplomb and dignity than we grownups can hope to muster, is a grand idea that we can all learn from. In reality (huh), the fact that grownups allowed their children to participate in such a blatant, ratings grabbing experiment designed to do nothing more than contribute to a bottom line is a horror far beyond what we can imagine now. These kids were exposed to far more than they were ready to handle. Those that defend the show by saying that there was adult supervision in the form of camera crew, etc., are forgetting the fact that some of these kids drank bleach!! Where were the grownups during that? As someone pointed out, unfortunately all this negative attention will boost ratings. We are supposed to be the caretakers and guardians of young minds, not the abusers. Please don’t watch! Don’t lend credibility by boosting ratings!
I agree with other posters that the show is completely insane and I can’t believe that CBS was allowed to get away with not only the crazy contract but also with clearly violating child labor laws. On the one hand, I agree too that the parents have no right to complan — they signed their kids up! On the other hand, that’s kind of like saying that tobacco companies have no right to be sued because smokers are “choosing” death (even though tobacco companies hid a lot of important information for a long time, and still have a huge media machine promoting smoking).
Count me in as another poster who doesn’t think it’s that insane/crazy an idea. I bet the kids learned a lot and didn’t you people go to camp?? All the “risks” are the same, you just didn’t sign a waiver…
Also, any kid anywhere in America could accidently drink bleach. It’s not because they were on a tv show that it happened!
After reading that agreement sending them to Iraq or Afganistan seems less risky. As for the drinking of bleach, (ages 8-15)well according to Darwin, they’re not supposed to make it anyway…
If they’re gonna do this kind of ‘kid reality’, they should be sure that said kids are of the delinquent, spoiled brat variety so they might come away from the experience a changed person. If the reality experience doesn’t bring about a change for the better, then it is a total waste of valuable time.
And of course, they shouldn’t have to risk their lives doing so to entertain us.
I dont understand what the big deal is…the show is over and has finished filming, so why is everyone all upset now. does this mean it’s gonna be canceled before it even airs? i’m looking forward to seeing how kids deal without adults around without attaching paint cans to the banister to trap doofus bandits. If kids are supposed to be as resourceful as adults then this show isn’t nearly as “wrong” as 234345 seasons of Survivor…
*I loved Anne’s comment about “A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE” where one of the nation builders meets an untimely end. My son, however, goes paintballing and I sign a waiver for him to participate. My daughter goes horseback riding and I had to sign a waiver for that. I don’t understand,however, how the contract as stated allows for such a huge pass to be given to CBS. I agree that this is more about whoring your children out than providing them with a real opportunity for life-long learning.
I don’t care about the “risks”. Kids do this sort of thing all the time. Granted, this time it’s pre-packaged for “our” entertainment, so yes it’s kind of like child prostitution, but hey, this is the 2000’s. Child abuse is fashionable. No, what really upset me was the clause, apparently standard in most reality shows, that by participating, you sign away the rights, in perpetuity, across the universe (that actual term, “universe”!), to your life story, to the network. Your life story. Owned by CBS, Bravo, FOX, whatever. Forever. Everywhere. jesus christ, talk about the mark of the beast. i’ll be over here wishing for the apocalypse.
Did anyone else notice that the working title of the show was “The Manhattan Project”? That was the title of the project to develop the first nuclear weapon. This show is creepy on every level. I hope it tanks spectacularly.
So we know that Kids and Dogs are the most precious thing that americans care and from what I know of…and it werid that we have this love/hate when it comes with kids cause you love them but they can get on your nerve as express in countless movies and telvsion shows
I think there just too much over reaction from this and if there were on cable or on a kids program there wouldn’t be all this hoopla over this
are you serious someone on the show got pregnent??