http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=10885239
Chickens Beheaded and Eaten on Episode of "Kid Nation"
Demand that CBS stop killing animals on their "reality TV" shows
The abuse and killing of animals on so-called "reality TV" shows is about as old as the genre itself. Over the years, contestants on the long-running "Survivor" series have been shown on camera stabbing pigs to death and killing different animals for food, while "Fear Factor" was oft criticized during its run for injuring and killing animals, as well as getting people to eat live insects on-air. Disgusting as these televised antics may have been, the CBS network has sunk even lower by now making children kill animals for the ratings war.
"Kid Nation" is a new reality TV show based on the premise of stranding 40 8-to-15-year-old children for 40 days in an Old West ghost town. The idea is to see how they'll survive on their own and bring the town back to life without adult supervision (except the 200 or so unseen grownups on the production crew filming it all). Late last month, CBS aired an episode in which the kids decapitated 18 chickens "for protein." Some of the children, especially those who had raised and cared for the birds, were visibly disturbed by the beheadings.
The producers of "Kid Nation" deliberately staged this controversy by not providing adequate plant-based sources of protein (such as beans, nuts, or whole grains) for the children on the flimsy basis that in this far-fetched "reality," they would have had no other choice but to kill and eat the chickens or starve. The obviously fabricated situation of making children rebuild a deserted town is pretty ridiculous in the first place, but to compound this preposterous farce with animal cruelty in the guise of teaching kids (and viewers) a lesson in survival and "reality" is simply ludicrous.
This act of violence had absolutely nothing to do with survival or reality, and was specifically engineered by network executives to boost ratings. Nevertheless, since its premiere on September 19th, the show has already slipped in the Nielsen ratings, finishing third in its time slot last week despite the previous episode's chicken killing stunt. Apparently, viewers are not as interested in traumatizing children with animal sacrifices as the producers of this flagging production had hoped.
Write to Leslie Moonves, Chair & CEO of CBS -- the man who is purportedly responsible for the gratuitous violence against animals that is becoming a staple of the network's "reality" shows -- and let him know (politely) that killing animals for ratings is reprehensible and unacceptable. Also demand that CBS initiate a ban on killing animals on their programs, and be sure to request a response.
Leslie Moonves, Chair & CEO
CBS Television Network
7800 Beverly Blvd., Room 23
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2112
Fax: (323) 575-2669
Viewer webmail
In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with more than 85,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi and Cameroon, Africa.
In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, California 94901 - P: (415) 388-9641 F: (415) 388-0388
email: idainfo@idausa.org