It’s true that reality television holds a viewership of teens, young adults, and adults but one market that has been recently tapped into for primetime television is the youth market ranging from pre-teen to mid-teen. The producers over at CBS decided to create a primetime program about 40 children and young teens, ages 8 to 15, who are chosen to create, build, maintain, and live in their own world with no adults and no rules. By making an abandoned town their own and learning how to eat, sleep, and live amongst each other, it seems as if it is the child’s turn to prove his/her capability to “survive.” I think this is a bold move on CBS’ part to create a series about children and young teens, steering away from the traditional dating, weight-loss, and real-life inspired television shows that occupy other prime-time slots.  

“Kid Nation” offers a new type of television experience for children and a new avenue for adults to better understand the lives of kids. Forget the glamorous mansions and the bizarre competitions, these children are out to conquer the real challenges of life: peer pressure, group work, and important responsibilities, just to name of few.  Although some might argue that these children might act according to their perceived notions of reality televisions, I think the program presents an organic source of knowledge and appreciation for the minds of the future.

The kids on the show might become celebrities themselves but the important thing here is that they are establishing and living in an environment of their own. Nothing is handed to them and they have to work for their food and living conditions allowing them to realize the more important things in life.  The powerful message that this form of media sends out involves how the behaviors and actions of these 40 children and young teens can make viewers realize, old and young, that change is possible for the near future, beginning with a small few. From the looks of it, these kids are out to change the world, and thanks to reality television, they have just taken their first step. Hopefully “Kid Nation” will prove to be a better “role model” programming style than the other reality television content out there and reveal the amazing capacity that these children and young teens have to work together and inspire change amongst each other and their viewers.

"Kid Nation" airs Wednesdays at 8pm on CBS. 

Check out some clips here . 

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