What do you get when you take forty kids, ages 8 through 15, and leave them in the middle of the desert to fend for themselves? The answer, of course, is the 2007 CBS show Kid Nation. In the realm of reality television, there has never been a series quite as bonkers as this one, in which school-aged pioneers were left…...
- 3/10/2020
- by Deena ElGenaidi on TV Club, shared by Deena ElGenaidi to The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
Banijay Studios North America, a Banijay Group company, is bolstering its development division, hiring Rebecca Mayer in the newly created position of Evp of Programming and Development. Mayer will focus on expanding the studio’s development and current slate in the U.S., creating original content for broadcast, cable and streaming. This includes collaborating with Banijay’s independent international producers on creating English-language programs based on new and proven formats. She will report to David Goldberg, President and CEO, Banijay Studios North America and will be based in Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Banijay, Mayer was a development consultant and producer under an overall deal at the Universal Television Alternative Studio for three years. She worked on formats including NBC’s comedy competition series Bring the Funny, musical competition series Songland and sports competition series The Titan Games, hosted by Dwayne Johnson.
Prior to joining Banijay, Mayer was a development consultant and producer under an overall deal at the Universal Television Alternative Studio for three years. She worked on formats including NBC’s comedy competition series Bring the Funny, musical competition series Songland and sports competition series The Titan Games, hosted by Dwayne Johnson.
- 1/8/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Benny Reuven has joined Oxygen Media as VP Development. He will be tasked with developing lifestyle programming for the network’s multicultural female audience. He joins the NBCUniversal Cable-owned company from Wilshire Studios, where he was VP Development and Programming. Before that, he founded 3Rb Entertainment and oversaw development and production. His credits include Kid Nation, Farmer Wants A Wife and Miami Ink. Based in Los Angeles, Reuven will report to Cori…...
- 7/7/2015
- Deadline TV
I don't want Donny *or* Nicole to go home. So I'm not at all pleased with Thursday's (August 14) "Big Brother" elimination episode as we begin. Donny's just been playing the strangest of "Big Brother" games, winning key Pov challenges and getting support from Frankie and Derrick on Team America, but in a House of alliances, he hasn't made any. And Nicole has been excellent at winning Head of Household challenges, but not so effective at wielding her power. Let's see how things pan out on tonight's episode... 9:05 p.m. We're up to Day 56 in the House. "Lies and secret identities have been exposed," Julie Chen says, teasing the potential for future backstabbing, but mostly talking about that moment on Wednesday's show when Frankie told everybody who his sister was and only Victoria seemed to actually know. 9:06 p.m. In the Head of Household room, Christine is giddy that she has chosen a side,...
- 8/15/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Los Angeles, CA (March 27, 2014) – The Producers Guild of America (PGA) is pleased to announce the initial slate of speakers confirmed to participate in the 6th annual Produced By Conference (Pbc). Director and producer David Fincher (Gone Girl, Fight Club, SE7EN, The Social Network, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button) & producer Ceán Chaffin (Gone Girl, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), producer Norman Lear (“The Jeffersons, “All In The Family”), actor and producer Seth Rogen (Neighbors, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up), and producer Joe Roth (Maleficent, Alice In Wonderland, Snow White And The Huntsman) will participate as featured speakers at the 2014 Produced By Conference, hosted by Warner Bros. Studios on June 7-8. Additional speakers include some of the entertainment and digital industries’ most renowned producers and visionaries. Confirmed speakers are noted below in alphabetical order. Additional speakers will be announced prior to the conference. – Chris Albrecht, CEO, Starz – Natalie Bruss, VP, Digital Strategy,...
- 3/27/2014
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Reality TV just got a whole lot younger — thanks to children chopping broccoli! They're doing battle on Fox's MasterChef Junior, a cooking-competition show that offers no end of potential hazards for little 'uns, and we don't even mean host Gordon Ramsay's (toned-down) signature criticism. High shelves with giant KitchenAid mixers! Heavy pans filled with hot oil! It's enough to make you worry for those crafty tykes' safety — and to dose you with a soupçon of déja vù. The last time reality-show producers threw a bunch of children in front of the cameras and left them to fend for themselves, the result was Kid Nation, the short-lived, controversial, but nonetheless beloved 2007 CBS competition program that rewarded its tiny participants with gold stars and punished them with a bottle of unmarked bleach and bullying. So how closely do these two flyweight contenders match up? Let's check out the tale of tape.
- 10/18/2013
- by Lindsey Weber
- Vulture
NBC's new summer show Siberia is a scripted horror drama masquerading as a reality contest show — and it really does nail most of the reality conventions we've come to expect from similar Survivor-like series. People squabble over beds, brag about "clicking" with the cute guys, and complain that it's a competition, not a friend-making endeavor. There's even a genial hippie dude and an overly glamorous woman who can't stop flipping her hair. The show premieres Monday, but you can watch the first full episode online now. Please, ABC Family, steal this idea and reimagine Kid Nation as a Hunger Games–Lord of the Flies murder-mystery series.
- 6/26/2013
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
30 Rock's terror dream of a TV show America's Kidz Got Singing looks like it might actually be happening: According to the New York Post, NBC is developing a children's version of The Voice. Producers were trying to put the show together in time to film it concurrently with The Voice's fifth season, which will air in the fall, but mercifully they were unable to pull off such a soul-stripping, ear-violating effort on such a short timeline. (The current plan is to go into production closer to the end of the year.) Vocally advanced children have done pretty well on shows like America's Got Talent and The X Factor, and Fox even attempted a kid spinoff of Idol in 2003, but wouldn't everyone prefer a second season of Kid Nation?...
- 4/15/2013
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
After weeks of false starts, backtracking and an almost complete lack of focus on moving the overarching plots forward, along came "The Children's Crusade" to finally make Revolution interesting again.
I always appreciate when a show takes a moment to expand upon the emotional repercussions of the stories and main themes that are woven throughout each episode, and the Kid Nation did a wonderful job of reminding us that the survivors of this blackout are not just teenagers and adults but young children as well.
These orphaned kids took it upon themselves to create a big surrogate family in the wake of their losses, and they did so rather admirably. This bigger theme of family was present throughout the episode, and their mostly intact innocence was tantamount to this family they created. These children recognize love and loss better than most of the adults. They are not concerned with power...
I always appreciate when a show takes a moment to expand upon the emotional repercussions of the stories and main themes that are woven throughout each episode, and the Kid Nation did a wonderful job of reminding us that the survivors of this blackout are not just teenagers and adults but young children as well.
These orphaned kids took it upon themselves to create a big surrogate family in the wake of their losses, and they did so rather admirably. This bigger theme of family was present throughout the episode, and their mostly intact innocence was tantamount to this family they created. These children recognize love and loss better than most of the adults. They are not concerned with power...
- 11/6/2012
- by snickrz@gmail.com (Nick McHatton)
- TVfanatic
The Super Bowl has ended, and since Dan and I couldn't agree on an acceptable wager, the Firewall & Iceberg Podcast is the same as it ever was. We don't dwell on the game very much, but we do talk for a while about the underwhelming crop of commercials, before transitioning into reviews of NBC's "Smash" and ABC's "The River," and then a smattering of listener mail. The line-up: Super Bowl commercials (01:15 - 20:40) "Smash" (20:40 - 39:00) "The River" (39:00 - 52:50) Listener Mail - "30 Rock" (53:30 - 58:45) Listener Mail - "Kid Nation" and stuff (58:45 - 01:05:45) Listener Mail -...
- 2/6/2012
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
What do Amber Tamblyn, Ray Stevenson and zombies have in common? "Babylon Fields," a dark comedy zombie series that got to the point of making a pilot for CBS in 2007 but didn't get picked up. The full pilot is now up online, though it will undoubtedly get take down notices issued soon. I mean, they refuse to broadcast it or sell it, but they'll be damned if anyone sees it for free. You fucking communists, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
And remember, CBS didn't pick this up in Fall of 2007, because instead they had to make room for these new series instead:
"The Big Bang Theory" (Ha! Nerds and a blond, what will they come up with next?)
"Cane" (Jimmy Smits gets a show that lasts a maximum of four episodes every television season, whether he needs it or not)
"Kid Nation" (I knew "Lord of the Flies," I...
And remember, CBS didn't pick this up in Fall of 2007, because instead they had to make room for these new series instead:
"The Big Bang Theory" (Ha! Nerds and a blond, what will they come up with next?)
"Cane" (Jimmy Smits gets a show that lasts a maximum of four episodes every television season, whether he needs it or not)
"Kid Nation" (I knew "Lord of the Flies," I...
- 10/21/2010
- by Steven Lloyd Wilson
With Steve Burke set to replace Jeff Zucker as CEO of NBC Universal and the news Monday that a high-profile analyst's valuation of the network is negative $600 million, the perpetual fourth-place broadcaster is on the verge of what might be its most dramatic corporate and cultural makeover in years. Here are five ways NBC's new parent can help it return to ratings glory:
Find your brand: NBC needs to spend a couple of weeks alone at a Lake Tahoe cabin, feeding the ducks and contemplating its identity. Entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin wisely embraced a return to quality programming by giving top showrunners grown-up budgets. Launching a serialized genre show ("The Event") when rivals gave up on the format and opting to set a comedy ("Outsourced") in India were sharp ideas whether they succeed or not. But the network still feels like a jigsaw, with its weak-sauce "More Colorful" tagline and...
Find your brand: NBC needs to spend a couple of weeks alone at a Lake Tahoe cabin, feeding the ducks and contemplating its identity. Entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin wisely embraced a return to quality programming by giving top showrunners grown-up budgets. Launching a serialized genre show ("The Event") when rivals gave up on the format and opting to set a comedy ("Outsourced") in India were sharp ideas whether they succeed or not. But the network still feels like a jigsaw, with its weak-sauce "More Colorful" tagline and...
- 9/28/2010
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
What happens when you cross Lost with Kid Nation (and add a touch of Tron)? eScape, a new teen-focused independent sci-fi series which launched earlier this month. Created by Mike Feurstein of New York-based MovieQuest Productions and co-produced by Bob Alpi of Runic Films, eScape tells the story of a group of kids who wake up one day at summer camp to discover all the counselors have abandoned them to survive on their own—the only problem is, they're now inside a video game. The young campers soon realize that the game grants them amazing powers and abilities, though they are unaware of a larger conspiracy in the real world that involves a power struggle between major corporations and mysterious military interests. It's sort of like like Inception: Salute Your Shorts Edition. Related News:Kids Web Series ‘eScape’ Prepping Sci-Fi Romp...
- 8/19/2010
- by Drew Baldwin
- Tubefilter.com
Between Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef, The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef, and 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, it’s been quite the busy summer for reality food competitions. But just when you thought TV’s proverbial stove top was getting overcrowded, along comes The Great Food Truck Race, a delicious reality concoction sure to simmer in the late summer heat. Sort of a cross between Cannonball Run and Top Chef, The Great Food Truck Race follows seven gourmet food trucks—which serve everything from burgers to crepes, banana pudding to frog legs—in a cross country road trip from Los Angeles to New York,...
- 8/15/2010
- by Grady Smith
- EW.com - PopWatch
This is huge, and has implications spanning more than just online streaming.
According to reports, Neflix has signed a deal with Relativity Media, that will give the company rights to stream theatrical film releases online and through Netflix enabled set top devices, prior to hitting pay cable channels like HBO or Cinemax.
The deal will kick off with films like David O. Russell’s upcoming Christian Bale led film, The Fighter, as well as the Strause Brother directed film Skyline, and has been described as a “big shift in the film distribution model.”
Personally, while this is indeed a huge step in the model of film distribution, this also doesn’t bode well for the companies like HBO and Showtime. What can already be considered the case, this just adds to the ever lacking slate of films on pay cable channels, who are slowly having to rely on original programming...
According to reports, Neflix has signed a deal with Relativity Media, that will give the company rights to stream theatrical film releases online and through Netflix enabled set top devices, prior to hitting pay cable channels like HBO or Cinemax.
The deal will kick off with films like David O. Russell’s upcoming Christian Bale led film, The Fighter, as well as the Strause Brother directed film Skyline, and has been described as a “big shift in the film distribution model.”
Personally, while this is indeed a huge step in the model of film distribution, this also doesn’t bode well for the companies like HBO and Showtime. What can already be considered the case, this just adds to the ever lacking slate of films on pay cable channels, who are slowly having to rely on original programming...
- 7/8/2010
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Is the Balloon Boy fiasco the latest example of parents putting their love of fame before their love of children? Should kids even be allowed on reality TV? And how much blame should go on the network executives behind such programs? These are a few of the questions that we look at in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly with a story focusing on how past and present shows like Jon & Kate Plus Eight, Supernanny, Kid Nation, and The Baby Borrowers could be putting young children at emotional and physical risk, all for a paycheck and 15 minutes of fame. “The...
- 10/23/2009
- by EW staff
- EW.com - PopWatch
Call them "cult classics." "Guilty pleasures." "Comfort movies." We all have a mental rolodex of flicks that aren't terribly popular but, for one reason or another, they resonate in a very special way. Maybe you saw it at the right moment. Maybe you just see gold where everyone else sees feces. Whatever the case, these are the special favorites that you keep stashed away for sick days. Here are some of ours.
Get ready for "Sick Day Stash" to take on a whole new meaning. Decades before Robert Altman's "Mash," more than half a century ahead of Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids" and more than 75 years before "Kid Nation," one short Shirley Temple comedy thumbed its nose at the violent front lines of World War I, leaving a bizarre relic from its time that wedged child actors into hilariously unsettling adult roles.
Clocking in at under ten minutes, Charles Lamont...
Get ready for "Sick Day Stash" to take on a whole new meaning. Decades before Robert Altman's "Mash," more than half a century ahead of Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids" and more than 75 years before "Kid Nation," one short Shirley Temple comedy thumbed its nose at the violent front lines of World War I, leaving a bizarre relic from its time that wedged child actors into hilariously unsettling adult roles.
Clocking in at under ten minutes, Charles Lamont...
- 8/19/2009
- by Brian Warmoth
- MTV Movies Blog
Sony Pictures Television and RelativityREAL have inked an international distribution deal for programming produced by Relativity. The deal, which will see both companies co-distributing content outside the U.S., was announced Friday by Spt president Steve Mosko and RelativityREAL CEO Tom Forman.
"RelativityREAL has some 20 series and pilots in various stages of development at broadcast and cable networks," Forman said. "As we foray into the international distribution business, we're thrilled to have a great partner in Sony Pictures Television. They have the depth and experience to help ensure those projects reach audiences around the world."
RelativityREAL is known for such shows as "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Kid Nation," "Armed & Famous," "Here Come the Newlyweds" and "High School Musical: Get in the Picture."
RelativityREAL is a joint venture of Relativity Media, LLC and TV producer Forman.
"RelativityREAL has some 20 series and pilots in various stages of development at broadcast and cable networks," Forman said. "As we foray into the international distribution business, we're thrilled to have a great partner in Sony Pictures Television. They have the depth and experience to help ensure those projects reach audiences around the world."
RelativityREAL is known for such shows as "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Kid Nation," "Armed & Famous," "Here Come the Newlyweds" and "High School Musical: Get in the Picture."
RelativityREAL is a joint venture of Relativity Media, LLC and TV producer Forman.
- 3/27/2009
- by By Steve Brennan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS is treading into potentially controversial reality TV territory again.
The network has ordered a new series from the producers of "Top Chef" that puts lovelorn singles into arranged marriages.
The show introduces four adults age approximately 25-45 who are anxious to get married but have been unsuccessful in their search for a mate. Their friends and family select a spouse for them, and the newly paired couple exchange marital vows. The series follows their marriages.
The rest of the details for the project, whose early working title is "Arranged Marriage," are being kept under wraps.
The series is from Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth of Magical Elves, which launched "Project Runway" on Bravo and produces the network's "Top Chef."
It is the second series greenlighted by CBS' new reality chief Jennifer Bresnan, following the recent order for "Block Party," a competition among neighboring families.
The series order for "Marriage...
The network has ordered a new series from the producers of "Top Chef" that puts lovelorn singles into arranged marriages.
The show introduces four adults age approximately 25-45 who are anxious to get married but have been unsuccessful in their search for a mate. Their friends and family select a spouse for them, and the newly paired couple exchange marital vows. The series follows their marriages.
The rest of the details for the project, whose early working title is "Arranged Marriage," are being kept under wraps.
The series is from Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth of Magical Elves, which launched "Project Runway" on Bravo and produces the network's "Top Chef."
It is the second series greenlighted by CBS' new reality chief Jennifer Bresnan, following the recent order for "Block Party," a competition among neighboring families.
The series order for "Marriage...
- 2/2/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bravo is taking a page from "Kid Nation" and spinning off a "Top Chef" cooking show for tykes.
"Top Chef Junior" will follow the same cooking competition format as the already popular reality show - only its contestants will be ages 13-16.
The network is making the move because "Top Chef" consistently does well in the ratings with kids 2-17.
"With 'Top Chef' as the number one food show on cable comes the nature of expansion in our food domain," says Bravo's Frances Berwick. " 'Top Chef Junior' [will be] reaching...
"Top Chef Junior" will follow the same cooking competition format as the already popular reality show - only its contestants will be ages 13-16.
The network is making the move because "Top Chef" consistently does well in the ratings with kids 2-17.
"With 'Top Chef' as the number one food show on cable comes the nature of expansion in our food domain," says Bravo's Frances Berwick. " 'Top Chef Junior' [will be] reaching...
- 8/1/2008
- by Post staff writer
- NYPost.com
Bravo is taking a page from "Kid Nation" and spinning off a "Top Chef" cooking show for tykes.
"Top Chef Junior" will follow the same cooking competition format as the already popular reality show only its contestants will be ages 13-16.
The network is making the move because "Top Chef" consistently does well in the ratings with kids 2-17.
"With 'Top Chef' as the number one food show on cable comes the natural expansion in our food domain," says Bravo's Frances Berwick. "'Top Chef Junior' [will be] reaching a growing...
"Top Chef Junior" will follow the same cooking competition format as the already popular reality show only its contestants will be ages 13-16.
The network is making the move because "Top Chef" consistently does well in the ratings with kids 2-17.
"With 'Top Chef' as the number one food show on cable comes the natural expansion in our food domain," says Bravo's Frances Berwick. "'Top Chef Junior' [will be] reaching a growing...
- 7/31/2008
- by Post Staff Writer
- NYPost.com
Tonight, you will see some thing on TV that will make you rub your eyes in disbelief - old people!
They're the most under-represented group on TV, and the seniors you will meet tonight on the season finale of "The Baby Borrowers" on NBC (9 p.m.) are so appealing they'll make you wonder why TV ignores people like them.
Some of the teens on this show will tell you: The seniors are great company. One of them, Kelly, 18, from Dunwoody, Ga., even remarks on how relaxing and calm her temporary household became when she and boyfriend Austin,...
They're the most under-represented group on TV, and the seniors you will meet tonight on the season finale of "The Baby Borrowers" on NBC (9 p.m.) are so appealing they'll make you wonder why TV ignores people like them.
Some of the teens on this show will tell you: The seniors are great company. One of them, Kelly, 18, from Dunwoody, Ga., even remarks on how relaxing and calm her temporary household became when she and boyfriend Austin,...
- 7/30/2008
- by By ADAM BUCKMAN
- NYPost.com
While reality TV has turned to more outrageous social experiments to bring something new to the table and subsequently raise TV ratings, some may find reality programs to be crying out loud desperate. Social experiments such as Ashton Kutcher’s Beauty and the Geek brought audiences a good number of laughs, while CBS’ Kid Nation received a lot of negative comments from viewers and concerned parents alike. Most recently, another reality series was seen in the negative light, and this time, NBC has yet to comment on the issue.
The Baby Borrowers, which focuses on teaching young adults the lessons of raising and taking care of a child, is a social experiment which takes children and keeps them in the care of teenagers, technically strangers, for three days. Earlier this month, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Aacap) expressed their concerns for the welfare of the children in this reality series.
The Baby Borrowers, which focuses on teaching young adults the lessons of raising and taking care of a child, is a social experiment which takes children and keeps them in the care of teenagers, technically strangers, for three days. Earlier this month, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Aacap) expressed their concerns for the welfare of the children in this reality series.
- 7/30/2008
- by BuddyTV
- buddytv.com
Kids are finally coming into the limelight. Reality shows featuring the younger crowd are making more of a presence on television screens. Following the lead of CBS' successful yet highly-criticized reality show, Kid Nation, other reality series have surfaced to showcase the abilities of the younger generations. This time, VH1 steps forward and offers audiences a new dish to satisfy your talent search cravings. I Know My Kid's a Star has debuted on VH1 last March 20, featuring former child star Danny Bonaduce as host.
According to VH1, the competition aims to find the "one great, aspiring, triple-threat, stage-hungry kid, identify them as a star and train their driven, stage mom or dad to be a supportive and fit parent who won't end up driving their kid into rehab."
Like any other typical reality competition show, I Know My Kid's a Star takes place in a mansion in Los Angeles.
According to VH1, the competition aims to find the "one great, aspiring, triple-threat, stage-hungry kid, identify them as a star and train their driven, stage mom or dad to be a supportive and fit parent who won't end up driving their kid into rehab."
Like any other typical reality competition show, I Know My Kid's a Star takes place in a mansion in Los Angeles.
- 3/24/2008
- by BuddyTV
- buddytv.com
CBS is adding divorce and crime to its reality development slate.
The network has greenlighted two pilots: Splitsville, executive produced by Jamie Kennedy, and an untitled project from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition creator/executive producer Tom Forman.
Splitsville, described as The War of the Roses meets Let's Make a Deal, is a game show for divorcing couples who battle it out for their belongings in a series of competitive challenges.
The project, from Magic Molehill Prods., is executive produced by Kennedy, Jay Bienstock and Jeffrey Kramer.
Forman's project features a team of law enforcement officials helping people who have been victims of a crime. The pilot reunites Forman with CBS, where he most recently exec produced Kid Nation.
CBS tackled similar issues four years ago when it teamed with Mark Burnett for Recovery, a reality project in which a team of military and law enforcement veterans set out to find kidnapped children.
The pickup of the two pilots comes on the heels of CBS' order of three new reality series last month -- Katalyst Films' Game Show in My Head and the biweekly celebrity talent contest Secret Talents of the Stars.
The network has greenlighted two pilots: Splitsville, executive produced by Jamie Kennedy, and an untitled project from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition creator/executive producer Tom Forman.
Splitsville, described as The War of the Roses meets Let's Make a Deal, is a game show for divorcing couples who battle it out for their belongings in a series of competitive challenges.
The project, from Magic Molehill Prods., is executive produced by Kennedy, Jay Bienstock and Jeffrey Kramer.
Forman's project features a team of law enforcement officials helping people who have been victims of a crime. The pilot reunites Forman with CBS, where he most recently exec produced Kid Nation.
CBS tackled similar issues four years ago when it teamed with Mark Burnett for Recovery, a reality project in which a team of military and law enforcement veterans set out to find kidnapped children.
The pickup of the two pilots comes on the heels of CBS' order of three new reality series last month -- Katalyst Films' Game Show in My Head and the biweekly celebrity talent contest Secret Talents of the Stars.
- 2/21/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
'Kid Nation' review
NEW YORK -- CBS' controversial "Kid Nation" debuted to less than overwhelming ratings Wednesday while airing with fewer commercials than normal.
Whether it was the negative publicity surrounding alleged child labor law violations in New Mexico or strong competition from NBC's "Deal or No Deal" and Fox's premiere of "Back to You", "Kid Nation" bowed with 9.4 million viewers and a 3.1 rating/9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday. It was enough to win its time period in adults 18-49 but was below expectations of 10 million-12 million viewers for the premiere.
"Kid Nation" was beaten in the first half-hour by the decidedly grayer "Back to You" (9.4 million, 3.1/9) starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, and was surpassed in viewership in the second half because of a surge by "Deal" (9.7 million, 2.5/8). "Back to You" beat "Kid Nation" by 15% in the demo by 8 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
The show hasn't yet caught fire among advertisers, either. The Eye has acknowledged that some advertisers were taking a wait-and-see approach.
NEW YORK -- CBS' controversial "Kid Nation" debuted to less than overwhelming ratings Wednesday while airing with fewer commercials than normal.
Whether it was the negative publicity surrounding alleged child labor law violations in New Mexico or strong competition from NBC's "Deal or No Deal" and Fox's premiere of "Back to You", "Kid Nation" bowed with 9.4 million viewers and a 3.1 rating/9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday. It was enough to win its time period in adults 18-49 but was below expectations of 10 million-12 million viewers for the premiere.
"Kid Nation" was beaten in the first half-hour by the decidedly grayer "Back to You" (9.4 million, 3.1/9) starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, and was surpassed in viewership in the second half because of a surge by "Deal" (9.7 million, 2.5/8). "Back to You" beat "Kid Nation" by 15% in the demo by 8 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
The show hasn't yet caught fire among advertisers, either. The Eye has acknowledged that some advertisers were taking a wait-and-see approach.
- 9/21/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Reality shows might need to court controversy to succeed, but a spreading hubbub around CBS' Kid Nation suggests that sometimes execs need to be careful what they wish for.
AFTRA said Friday that it will probe whether producers of Kid Nation violated their union contract by any sort of harsh treatment of amateur kid performers on the CBS reality show, set to premiere Sept. 19.
Shot on location at a ghost town in New Mexico, the show assembled a group of 40 kids ages 8-15 who had to fend for themselves by cooking, cleaning and even forming their own local "government." Questions have been raised about medical care and other conditions during the six-week shoot, which wrapped May 10.
CBS has defended its producers on the show and denied any allegations of mistreatment. But New Mexico authorities said last week that they were looking into the situation, and AFTRA promised to investigate abuse reports.
"We've had a number of complaints from some of our members about the reports they have, and we have read press reports about long hours and that sort of thing," AFTRA spokesman John Hinrichs said.
AFTRA said Friday that it will probe whether producers of Kid Nation violated their union contract by any sort of harsh treatment of amateur kid performers on the CBS reality show, set to premiere Sept. 19.
Shot on location at a ghost town in New Mexico, the show assembled a group of 40 kids ages 8-15 who had to fend for themselves by cooking, cleaning and even forming their own local "government." Questions have been raised about medical care and other conditions during the six-week shoot, which wrapped May 10.
CBS has defended its producers on the show and denied any allegations of mistreatment. But New Mexico authorities said last week that they were looking into the situation, and AFTRA promised to investigate abuse reports.
"We've had a number of complaints from some of our members about the reports they have, and we have read press reports about long hours and that sort of thing," AFTRA spokesman John Hinrichs said.
- 8/27/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The new Nina Tassler embraces controversy and revels in it.
That was the message from the CBS Entertainment president Wednesday as the network, known for its safe fare, is gearing up for the growing controversy around upcoming series Swingtown and Kid Nation.
Overall, the departures of Criminal Minds star Mandy Patinkin and NCIS creator Don Bellisario and the return of the canceled drama Jericho dominated CBS' executive session at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton.
Tassler was barraged with questions about the circumstances surrounding Patinkin's exit from Minds but declined to provide details beyond saying it was "a personal issue."
On Monday, Patinkin's request to be released from the successful two-year-old show was granted for what the actor's statement said were "creative differences."
A question about the discrepancy between his and Tassler's assessments of the motives for the departure produced the most memorable quote of the day.
"I think 'creative differences' is a euphemism for 'personal issues,'" Tassler said with a wink, drawing laughs from the audiences.
She declined to say if Patinkin has been declared a persona non grata at CBS following his exits from two network series, Minds and Chicago Hope. He left the latter show early in its second season after winning an Emmy for his leading role.
On Bellisario's departure from the hit NCIS, which reportedly was prompted by friction between him and series star Mark Harmon, Tassler said the network tried to "mediate" but that ultimately "it was the natural evolution of a show that you groom your writers on your staff to take over the mantle so you can move on to develop other shows."...
That was the message from the CBS Entertainment president Wednesday as the network, known for its safe fare, is gearing up for the growing controversy around upcoming series Swingtown and Kid Nation.
Overall, the departures of Criminal Minds star Mandy Patinkin and NCIS creator Don Bellisario and the return of the canceled drama Jericho dominated CBS' executive session at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton.
Tassler was barraged with questions about the circumstances surrounding Patinkin's exit from Minds but declined to provide details beyond saying it was "a personal issue."
On Monday, Patinkin's request to be released from the successful two-year-old show was granted for what the actor's statement said were "creative differences."
A question about the discrepancy between his and Tassler's assessments of the motives for the departure produced the most memorable quote of the day.
"I think 'creative differences' is a euphemism for 'personal issues,'" Tassler said with a wink, drawing laughs from the audiences.
She declined to say if Patinkin has been declared a persona non grata at CBS following his exits from two network series, Minds and Chicago Hope. He left the latter show early in its second season after winning an Emmy for his leading role.
On Bellisario's departure from the hit NCIS, which reportedly was prompted by friction between him and series star Mark Harmon, Tassler said the network tried to "mediate" but that ultimately "it was the natural evolution of a show that you groom your writers on your staff to take over the mantle so you can move on to develop other shows."...
- 7/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS will roll out the majority of its fall schedule during premiere week, the week of Sept. 24.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning during the network's portion of Television Critics Assn. summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton.
CBS' reality series, buzzworthy newcomer Kid Nation and veteran Survivor (with its China edition), will get an early start the previous week, debuting Sept. 19 and Sept. 20, respectively.
Premiering the night before the official start of the season will be CBS' returning Sunday series 60 Minutes, Cold Case and Shark.
Their companion on the night, the freshman series Viva Laughlin will join them Oct. 21 after a preview on Thursday, Oct. 18, following CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
The premiere of Laughlin is timed to coincide with a two-week break from football overruns on Sunday.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning during the network's portion of Television Critics Assn. summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton.
CBS' reality series, buzzworthy newcomer Kid Nation and veteran Survivor (with its China edition), will get an early start the previous week, debuting Sept. 19 and Sept. 20, respectively.
Premiering the night before the official start of the season will be CBS' returning Sunday series 60 Minutes, Cold Case and Shark.
Their companion on the night, the freshman series Viva Laughlin will join them Oct. 21 after a preview on Thursday, Oct. 18, following CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
The premiere of Laughlin is timed to coincide with a two-week break from football overruns on Sunday.
- 7/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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