Kid Nation

Infobox Television
show_name = Kid Nation


caption = Kid Nation logo
show_name_2 =
genre = Reality
creator =
director = Jack Cannon, J. Rupert Thompson
creative_director =
developer =
presenter = Jonathan Karsh
starring = See Participants below
voices =
narrated =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
composer =
country = USA
language = English
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 13
list_episodes = List of Kid Nation episodes
executive_producer = Tom Forman
producer =
supervising_producer =
asst_producer =
co-producer =
editor =
story_editor =
location = Bonanza City, New Mexico
cinematography =
camera =
runtime = 60 minutes (with commercials)
network = CBS
picture_format =
audio_format =
first_run =
first_aired = September 19, 2007
last_aired = December 12, 2007
preceded_by =
followed_by =
related =
website = http://www.cbs.com/kidnation
imdb_id = 1039921
tv_com_id = 72860

"Kid Nation" is an Emmy-nominated American reality television show hosted by Jonathan Karsh that premiered on the CBS network on September 19, 2007 created by Endemol USA and aired on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET . The show, featuring 40 children aged 8 to 15, was filmed on location at the Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, a privately owned town built on the ruins of Bonanza City, New Mexico, eight miles south of Santa Fe, [ [http://www.bonanzacreekranch.com Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch official website] ] with production beginning on April 1, 2007. In the show, the children try to create a functioning society in the town, including setting up a government system with minimal adult help and supervision.cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-kidnation17aug17,0,6071148,print.story?coll=la-home-entertainment | title="Is child exploitation legal in 'Kid Nation'?" | author=Maria Elena Fernandez | publisher="Los Angeles Times" | date=2007-08-17 | accessdate=2007-08-17] The program was originally scheduled to air in the summer of 2007. [cite news | first=Adalian | last=Josef | coauthors= | title=Kids to rule reality on CBS | date=2007-05-15 | publisher= | url =http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964985.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 | work =Variety | pages = | accessdate = 2007-10-16 | language = ]

The show stresses the difficulty in creating a viable society. While each child received $5,000 for their involvement, Gold Stars valued at $20,000 and $50,000 were awarded to select outstanding participants as decided by the elected Town Council. [cite news | first=Edward | last=Wyatt | coauthors= | title=CBS Was Warned on ‘Kid Nation,’ Documents Show | date=2007-08-21 | publisher= | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/us/22kid.html | work = New York Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-24 | language = ]

On May 14, 2008, CBS officially canceled the series. [ [http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/cbs-announces-their-2008-09-schedule-whos-been-cancelled/ CBS Announces Their 2008-09 Schedule. Who’s Been Cancelled?] ]

how description

The first episode of "Kid Nation" introduced the 40 kids, including the four pre-selected town council members, and the group was challenged to create a society for themselves in the abandoned Bonanza City. On the second day, the council separated the remaining kids into four color-coded districts, red, blue, yellow, and green, each led by one of the original council members, Mike, Anjay, Taylor, and Laurel, respectively.

The city contains western era buildings such as a chapel, a grocery store, a dry goods store, and a saloon. On a separate set there is a barn where Town Hall meetings are held. The movie "The Astronaut Farmer" was shot using the town hall barn, and "" was shot in and around the Bonanza City set. [cite web |url=http://nmfilmmuseum.org/showcase/search.php?title=The+Astronaut+Farmer |title=The Astronaut Farmer | NM Film Showcase | New Mexico Film Museum |accessdate=2008-01-24 |format= |work=New Mexico Film Museum ] [cite web |url=http://nmfilmmuseum.org/showcase/search.php?title=3:10+to+Yuma |title=3:10 To Yuma | NM Film Showcase | New Mexico Film Museum |accessdate=2008-01-24 |format= |work=New Mexico Film Museum ]

During each episode except the last, the council consults a journal said to be written by earlier founders of Bonanza City that describes an issue that the current residents may be facing and suggests ideas to consider. It is obvious that the journal is written to create a theme for each episode. Topics have included killing chickens for meat, dealing with a curfew to establish law and order, and handling the many religions represented by the kids. The council resolves the issue, sometimes through discussions with the rest of the town. In most cases, not all kids are required to follow the decision. In those cases, the council and other children determine a resolution.

Each episode features a Showdown, a physical and mental challenge among the four districts. If all four teams complete the challenge within a predetermined time, one of two special prizes is offered to the entire town. One prize is typically fun, such as a television or a pizza party, while the other prize is utilitarian, such as additional outhouses or religious books. The town council selects which prize the town will receive or asks the town to vote.

The placement of each district determines its job class for the next three days and the salary its members receive during that period. The first place district is the upper-class, receives $1.00 and has no assigned job duties. The second place district becomes the merchants who operate the stores and saloon around town and receive $0.50 in salary. The third-place team become the cooks responsible for cooking and cleaning the kitchen and dining areas, and earn $0.25. The last-place team become the laborers, who fetch fresh water from a distant well, do the laundry and clean the outhouses, while earning $0.10 in salary. Buffalo nickels, which were produced by the United States Mint from 1913-1938, serve as the currency. While each district is expected to complete the tasks assigned to them, individuals are free to avoid such tasks or to assist others in their tasks.

Every third day at the close of each episode (fourth in the first episode), a town hall meeting is held. The show's host asks the kids how the council is performing and allows for a general discussion of town issues. The host then asks if any kid wants to leave Bonanza City. Finally, the town council awards a gold Star to one kid based on his or her performance. Each star is worth $20,000, and once awarded, the kid is given the opportunity to call home from a special locked building in town.

The final episode dissolved all jobs and districts, and featured a final showdown that the town had to successfully complete to earn the right to give away 3 additional Gold Stars, these each valued at $50,000, awarded by the Town Council to the most deserving town members; in this instance, 2 (Morgan and Sophia) who had previously received a gold star, and the third to Migle, another townsperson.

Episode summaries

::::fnb|AThese gold stars were worth $50,000 and were awarded at the final town hall meeting.::::fnb|BBecause this was the season finale, no children were asked if they wanted to leave because all children were going home.

Participants

The participants of "Kid Nation" consist of 40 kids, whose ages range from 8 to 15. [cite news | title=Kid Nation - I'm Trying to be a Leader Here - Yahoo! TV | date=2007-09-20 | publisher= | url =http://www.tv.yahoo.com/kid-nation/show/im-trying-to-be-a-leader-here/episode/146272/recap | accessdate = 2007-09-21 ] The following table lists each child's district color (including change if applicable), [ [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/progress.php CBS Kid Nation progress report] ] age at the onset of the show, home state, the terms they held in Town Council, the day they received a gold star, when they left Bonanza City and any applicable notes. [cite news | title=Kid Nation on CBS - Bios | url =http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/bio.shtml | accessdate = 2007-09-21 ]

:fnb|1Original district:fnb|2Final district color or black if participant left the show:fnb|3These gold stars were worth $50,000 and were awarded at the final town hall meeting.

Reception

Initial reception

Ahead of its premiere, the show proved to be the most controversial of the upcoming fall 2007 season, even though the only actual footage seen was a four-minute promo running on television and the Web. [ [http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-etlede5348525aug28,0,3951740.story "Is CBS reality show 'Kid Nation' just child's play?" by Maria Elena Fernandez, "Los Angeles Times", August 28, 2007, retrieved September 15, 2007] ] In previewing the series, CBS eschewed television critics, instead holding screenings at schools in at least seven large cities. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/arts/television/19kid.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1190240371-ba6CaqF8aMXx4N7KjqeZrw "CBS Screens ‘Kid Nation’ at Schools" by Edward Wyatt , "New York Times", September 19, 2007, retrieved September 19, 2007] ] "Variety" columnist Brian Lowry wrote that "Kid Nation" is only the latest program to use kids as fodder for fun and profit, which doesn't make the trend any less disturbing." [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117965850.html?categoryid=1682&cs=1 Article from Variety.com] ] William Coleman, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, argued that the younger children, ages 8 to 12, might not be able to deal with the stress, yet could be enticed to participate by the potential fame or be pressured to do so by a parent. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12476751 "'Kid Nation' Raises Controversy Ahead of Air", National Public Radio's "Morning Edition", August 3, 2007] ]

Speaking before an audience of television reviewers, producer Tom Forman acknowledged that "Kid Nation" would inevitably share some elements with William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies", which depicted planewrecked children without adult supervision. But adults were present off-camera during the "Kid Nation" production, including cameramen, producers, a medic, and a child psychologist, although all interacted with the children as little as possible. Participants also missed a month of school, but Forman suggested that such real-world tasks as preparing a group breakfast, doing physical chores like fetching water, and making group decisions constituted an educational experience in its own right. Foreman said that all participants were cleared by a team of psychologists, any child could choose to go home, and some did.

"Los Angeles Times" reporter Maria Elena Fernandez interviewed four of the children, who told her they had worked harder than they ever had in their lives but would willingly repeat the experience. They said the most challenging aspect was getting used to being filmed constantly.

Later reactions

After the show's premiere, many television critics wrote negative reviews, with "Los Angeles Times" critic Robert Lloyd a notable exception. [ [http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/story/285317.html "‘Kid Nation’ ratings are just OK"] , "Kansas City Star", September 21, 2007, retrieved on October 13, 2007.] Reviewing the first episode, "Washington Post" columnist Tom Shales suggested that the show is "not so much an exercise in socialization as the indoctrination of children into a consumer culture". Shales pointed out that the kids' decisions included buying root beer at the saloon with "real money", but not hiring or being hired - as their money was "parceled out to them according to their predetermined stations in life." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/19/AR2007091902635.html "'Kid Nation': Grow Up, CBS!" "Washington Post", retrieved October 24, 2007] ] By the third show, some advertisers that had shied away from "Kid Nation" due to its initial controversy had begun to purchase time. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/business/media/08kidnation.html?ref=business "‘Kid Nation’ Slips in Viewers but Gains in Advertisers"] , by Edward Wyatt, "New York Times", October 8, 2007, retrieved October 13, 2007]

Reflecting back near the end of the season, "Los Angeles Times" writer Maria Elena Fernandez, who had reported extensively on "Kid Nation", wrote that neither the show's pre-premiere promises or controversies ever quite congealed: the children were never as autonomous or self-reliant as the publicity indicated and the threatened legal investigations by the state of New Mexico never took off. As the series concluded, low ratings had cast doubt on whether CBS would renew the show. Brad Adgate, an analyst with Horizon Media, said the chances were not good unless a writers strike, ongoing at the time of the season finale, increased demand for more reality shows. [cite news | first=Bill | last=Keveney | coauthors= | title='Kid Nation' faces an uncertain future after lackluster run | date=2007-12-12 | publisher= | url =http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-12-11-kid-nation_N.htm | work =USA Today | pages = | accessdate = 2007-12-13 | language = ]

"Time" magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 New TV Series of 2007, ranking it at #10. [ [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686244_1691365,00.html Poniewozik, James; Top 10 New TV Series; time.com] ]

It was nominated for Best Family Television Reality Show, Game Show or Documentary at the 29th Annual Young Artist Awards. [ [http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms29.html 29th Annual Young Artist Awards - Nominations / Special Awards ] ]

Broader legal implications

The "Kid Nation" production raised questions about whether reality show participants are more like subjects in a documentary or working actors. The latter are covered by union rules that govern everything from working hours to compensation. [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-et-kidnation29aug29,0,143813.story?coll=la-home-local "'Kid Nation' puts Hollywood labor tension into sharp focus", by Maria Elena Fernandez,"Los Angeles Times", August 29, 2007, retrieved August 29, 2007] ] This debate over participant status could be seen in an American Federation of Television and Radio Artists investigation over whether its AFTRA National Code of Fair Practices for Network Television Broadcasting was violated. The investigation went forward even though on reality shows, the Network Code generally covers professional performers, but not the participants. Some parents on hand for the final day of filming accused the producers of feeding children lines, re-casting dialog and repeating scenes, all of which suggested that the children functioned as actors. Producer Tom Forman said that the parents were observing routine "pickups" for scenes that might have been missed because of technical difficulties. [http://www.latimes.com/features/kids/readingroom/la-et-kidnation31aug31,1,6450478.story "Children's advocates join 'Kid Nation' fray"] , Maria Elena Fernandez,"]

"Kid Nation" also raised questions about the appropriate minimum age of participants in reality shows. The production took place before New Mexico tightened its regulations governing the number and span of hours a child actor can work. The producers had declared the set a summer camp rather than a place of employment, but that loophole has since been closed. After 11-year-old Divad Miles was burned when grease splattered onto her face while cooking a meal, her mother, Janis Miles, filed a complaint in June calling for an investigation into "abusive acts to minors and possible violations of child labor laws." The claim was investigated by Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, which found no criminal wrongdoing on the part of the production company. [cite news | first=Edward | last=Wyatt | coauthors= | title=A CBS Reality Show Draws a Claim of Possible Child Abuse | date=2007-08-18 | publisher= | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/arts/television/18kid.html | work = New York Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-23 | language = ] [http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/07/the_founding_of_kid_nation.php "The Founding of 'Kid Nation'". "TVWeek", retrieved August 3, 2007] ] [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-kidnationweb22aug22,0,3170206.story?coll=la-home-entertainment "CBS addresses 'Kid Nation' controversies" by Maria Elena Fernandez, "Los Angeles Times", August 22, 2007, retrieved August 22, 2007] ] Other investigative efforts by the state of New Mexico into the "Kid Nation" production were later dropped. The state's Attorney General's Office cited the lack of formal complaint or request for inquiry from any state agency. The state's Department of Workforce Solutions dropped its charge that the producers had denied inspectors access to the set and said it had no plans to investigate.cite news | first=Maria Elena | last=Fernandez | coauthors= | title=Lost chances in 'Kid Nation' | date=2007-11-30 | publisher= | url =http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-kidnation30nov30,0,6620097.story?coll=cl-tv-features | work =Los Angeles Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-12-02 | language = ]

CBS defended the production's conduct as both legal and ethical, including the response to minor injuries on the set. The network characterized some early allegations as irresponsible, exaggerated or false. [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-kidnation27aug27,0,4241760.story?coll=la-home-entertainment "'Kid Nation's' current reality: investigations" by Maria Elena Fernandez, "Los Angeles Times", August 27, 2007, retrieved August 27, 2007] ] In late November 2007 after 10 episodes had aired, Forman accused some newspaper critics of engaging in a feeding frenzy in which they used loaded terms like "child abuse" before actually seeing the show and without interviewing anyone involved with the production. [cite news | first=Marisa | last= Guthrie | coauthors= | title=Tom Forman: Father of CBS’ Kid Nation | date=2007-11-24 | publisher= | url =http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6504730.html?desc=topstory | work = Broadcasting & Cable | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-28 | language = ]

econd season

CBS did not list "Kid Nation" among its shows renewed for the 2008-2009 season. [cite news | first=Verne | last=Gay | coauthors= | title="Kid Nation" Is No More | date=2008-02-15 | publisher= | url =http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/blog/2008/02/kid_nation_is_no_more.html | work =Newsday.com | pages = | accessdate = 2008-07-21 | language = ] "Kid Nation" producers had previously posted an application for a sequel, "Kid Nation 2", which was due by October 9, 2007. [ [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation_application/kid_nation_2.pdf Kid Nation 2 application] , retrieved 2007-12-08] Season 2 has already been filmed Fact|date=August 2008 with no official airdates, as CBS opted not to pick up the series for a second season.

References

External links

* [http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/ Official Kid Nation Site (CBS)]
*